With Rio 2016 qualification firmly in their sights, Britain's paratriathlon team brought their A-game to Japan last weekend, winning an incredible 11 medals at WTS Yokohama including four golds, four silvers and three bronzes.
Gold medals were won on the sprint distance course (750m swim/20km bike/5km run) by Phil Hogg (PT1), Dave Ellis (PT5), Jane Egan (PT1) and Faye McClelland (PT4). Four-time world champion McLelland had one of the toughest races of her career to overhaul team-mate Lauren Steadman in the final kilometre.
McLelland, recently named 220's Female Paratriathlete of the year, said afterwards: “I got off the bike and I wasn’t sure I had the legs to close her down. It took three laps and doubts were seeping in. It wasn’t until the last quarter of the final lap that I overtook her, and I still didn’t know, she put up such a fight, she is an awesome athlete and was pushing me all the way.”
The silver medals were won by Joe Townsend (PT1), Iain Dawson (PT5), Lauren Steadman (PT4) and Melissa Reid (PT5). Bronze medals were taken by David Hill (PT4), Clare Cunningham (PT4) and Alison Patrick (PT5).
Meanwhile, in the elite races, Javier Gomez (ESP) continued his winning ways, sharing the podium with compatriot Mario Mola and Richard Murray (RSA), while Alistair and Jonny Brownlee came fourth and fifth. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) won the women's elite race ahead of Ai Ueda (JPN) and Agnieszka Jerzyk (POL).
Britain's Jodie Stimpson suffered a cut foot falling on her bike in transition but soldiered through the pain to finish ninth, and remains on top of the WTS leaderboard after her wins in Auckland and Cape Town.
Next stop – WTS London on the weekend of 31 May / 1 June. We'll be bringing you live coverage on Twitter (@220Triathlon) from Hyde Park as it happens.
(Main image: Delly Carr/ITU)