The Australian silver medalist at Tokyo and multiple world champion clinched victory with a wire-to-wire win in the PTWC category.
Despite uncertainty in the schedule surrounding the paratriathlon events due to water quality in the Seine, the race finally started this morning. Parker completed the 750-metre swim in 13:19, more than a minute ahead of her nearest competitor. The next 20 kilometres saw her tackling the cobbles and dead turns of the five-lap handcycle course in 51:46 even as Tokyo gold medalist Kendall Gretsch overhauled the field to move into second with a 2:14 deficit. On the five-kilometre wheelchair run over three laps, Parker avenged her loss in Tokyo and finished nearly a minute and a half ahead, leaving no road for Gretsch to duplicate her finish chute pass.
“I can’t believe I was able to do it today,” admitted a delighted Parker. “It’s been a long journey for me to get here and I couldn’t be more proud and more happy to get the gold medal. After getting second at Tokyo by less than a second, that’s been a big driving force over the last three years, every single day, through every single training session. I’ve worked so hard to accomplish what I’ve done today.
“Sport brings emotional rollercoasters week-to-week. I’ve been through a lot emotionally, personally, physically. A bike accident and lots of other things in the last three years I’ve had to overcome. It’s been a big, three-year build-up. I’ve said ever since Tokyo that I want to get gold in Paris and I will get gold in Paris.”
Parker has now gone undefeated for the past three years and has turned her dream of Paralympic gold into reality. But this is only the first stop in Paris for her. As paracycling time trial world champion, she will line up on 3rd September for the women’s H1-3 individual time trial and on 4th September for the H1-4 road race. Can she make three for three? Knowing this Bahrain Victorious 13 warrior, she will put her all into it.
