Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to continue to provide an overview of the sports that Scottish Para athletes will compete in as members of Team Scotland at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. In the second of the series, we highlight the sport of Paratriathlon and Karen Darke MBE.
An exciting combination of swimming, cycling and running, triathlon is a great test of an individual’s overall physical ability. Participation in paratriathlon has risen dramatically in recent years resulting in the sport being included in the Paralympic Games programme in 2016. Following the impact of paratriathlon at Rio de Janeiro, the sport will now make its debut within the para programme for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will see Highlander Karen Darke compete in the PTWC H1 class on Saturday 7th April at the Southport Broadwater Parklands venue.
Karen Darke MBE
Paralympic gold medallist at Rio 2016 and silver medallist at London 2012, Karen is an athlete, adventurer and author. Having hand cycled her way 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico in 2017, she will take to the start line in Gold Coast where Para-Triathlon makes its debut.
Since being paralysed from the chest down in a climbing accident age 21, the Inverness based athletes has pushed herself in an incredible series of challenges, alongside her sporting endeavours, including crossing Greenland’s ice cap and climbing Mont Blanc, Matterhorn and El Capitan, all using just the power of her arms.
Gold medal in the TRI-1 class at the 2014 European Para-Triathlon Championships.
- Silver medal in the H3 Time Trial and bronze medal in the H3 Road Race at the 2014 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships.
- Gold medal in the Road Time Trial H1-3 at the 2016 Paralympic Games.
- Bronze medal in the TRI-1 class at the 2017 European Championships.
- Gold medal in the TRI-1 class at the 2017 Iseo-Franciacorta ITU Para-Triathlon World Cup.
Karen’s athlete profile can be viewed here.
For a schedule of para triathlon events please follow the link below: https://www.gc2018.com/sport/triathlon
Scottish Disability Sport has produced a factsheet on para triathlon for people with a disability which can be downloaded here.
And a video fact file can be viewed here.
Tomorrow
The next 2018 Commonwealth Games Para sport we will feature will be swimming. Toni Shaw and Beth Johnstone will make their Commonwealth Games debuts at Gold Coast so come back tomorrow to find out more.