The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) announced the seven-member roster for the CAF Elite Paratriathlon Team, which focuses on the development of paratriathletes in anticipation of the inclusion of paratriathlon in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The athletes were chosen based on past performance in national and international paratriathlon races, growth potential within the sport, and their ability to represent CAF’s mission and sponsors, as follows:
Brown. Photograph courtesy of CAF.
- Mark Barr, who has a transfemoral amputation, competed in his first triathlon three years ago, and has won two national championships and represented the United States in his first International Triathlon Union (ITU) Paratriathlon World Championships in New Zealand.
- Sarah Reinertsen, who also has a transfemoral amputation, is the first woman with a leg amputation to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. She holds three ITU World Championship wins in the short distance course, as well as three ITU World Championship titles.
- Thomas Cain, who has a transradial amputation, was chosen for the team based on his performance in CAF’s 2011 San Diego Triathlon Challenge.
- J.P. Theberge has won five paratriathlon world championship medals, two first places at the ITU World Championship, two gold medals in the USA Triathlon (USAT) Nationals, and was named 2010 and 2011 Paratriathlete of the Year by USAT; he has a transtibial amputation.
- Jamie Brown began as a paratriathlete in 2010, and was awarded first place at USTA’s Paratriathlon Championship in New York, New York, in 2011, and became the USAT National Champion in both 2011 and 2012. Brown has a transtibial amputation and is missing two fingers on his right hand.
- Patricia Walsh is a member of the 2012 USA Paratriathlon National Team. Most recently, she won a USA Paratriathlon National Championship title in the TRI-6 category in 2012. Walsh has a visual impairment.
- Geoffrey Kennedy, who has paraplegia, has competed in all distances of triathlon, including Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and 70.3 Championships. He is a two-time National Champion for USA Paratriathlon and an ITU World Championship silver medalist.
Team sponsors will allow CAF to provide apparel and shoes, helmets, sunglasses, wetsuits, nutrition, coaching and training stipends, equipment, and race expenses for team members this year.
