World champions Faye McClelland, Iain Dawson, Charlotte Ellis and Jane Egan will lead the paratriathletes successfully selected onto the inaugural podium squad of the 2011 British Triathlon World Class Paratriathlon Programme, as the sport strives to deliver Paralympic success in Rio 2016.
British Triathlon has established a programme that replicates the current British Triathlon World Class Performance Programme and ensures a high performance environment and support system for our British paratriathletes.
The programme comprises of two tiers: world class podium and world class affiliate, both of which will aim to deliver medal winning performances in major championships and ultimately build a Great Britain Paratriathlon Team of world-beating athletes for Rio 2016.
In addition to our four world champions, the 2009 world champion Clare Cunningham, 2010 European bronze medallist Sara Butler, 2009 European silver medallist, James Goddard and 2010 Tata Steel British Paratriathlon champion, Steven Judge complete the eight athlete podium squad.
A squad of 14 world class affiliate athletes will also be supported throughout the season with access to British Triathlon’s UK based training camps, and will have the option of competing for the GE Great Britain Paratriathlon Team at major European and World Championships.
Jonathon Riall, National Paratriathlon Manager who has played an integral role achieving Paralympic status, is now tasked with developing the structures needed to further support the development of paratriathletes who can perform on the biggest of all stages at Rio 2016. He said: “The sport of paratriathlon has changed dramatically since our inclusion in the Paralympic programme, stimulating a need to develop a world class performance pathway for paratriathletes that mirrors the current programme that has supported the likes of Alistair Brownlee and Helen Jenkins.
“The two-tier squad system will ensure that we have the right athletes competing in the right events and creates an enviable world class programme that ensures come 2016, we have the best prepared athletes in the world.”
Steven Judge, reigning Tata Steel British Paratriathlon champion and podium squad member, commented:
“It is an honour to be selected and I'm looking forward to the support that I will receive from being in the British Triathlon podium squad.”
Newcomer to the sport and affiliate squad member, Elizabeth McTernan added:
“It feels amazing to have an opportunity to represent the GE Great Britain Paratriathlon Team. My first taste of paratriathlon came at a Tat Steel British Paratriathlon Come and Tri day in Loughborough last October. I received a classification and discovered my competitive side when I tried - and succeeded- to stay in front!”
British Triathlon World Class Paratriathlon Performance Programme
World Class Podium
Faye McClelland (East Sussex) TRI 4 World and European Champion
Clare Cunningham (St Albans) TRI 4 2009 World Champion
Jane Egan (Kilbarchan) TRI 1 World and European Champion
Sara Butler (Walsall) TRI 6 Tata Steel British Paratriathlon Champion
Charlotte Ellis (Redcar) TRI 6 World and European Champion
Iain Dawson (Norwich) TRI 6 World and European Champion
James Goddard (Bracknell) TRI 1
Steve Judge (Sheffield) TRI 3 Tata Steel British Paratriathlon Champion
World Class Affiliate ?
Tom Perkins (Wiltshire) TRI 4 Tata Steel British Paratriathlon Champion
Stephen Webb (East Sussex) TRI 4
James Smith (Whitchurch) TRI 3
Haseeb Ahmad (Leicester) TRI 6
David Cooke (Taunton) TRI 1 Tata Steel British Paratriathlon Champion
Alan Rayment (Scunthorpe) TRI 1
Nikki Emerson (Prestwood) TRI 1 Fourth 2010 London Marathon
Kevin Hamilton (Powys) TRI 5
Adrian Howden (Leeds) TRI 5
Danny Green (Essex) TRI 4
Darron Shields (Queensland, AUS) TRI 1
Karen Darke (Inverness) TRI 1
Elizabeth McTernan (lLincoln) TRI 1
Paul Thomas (East Sussex) TRI 3
