Double act put title on agenda
RIO Paralympic gold medal winner Katie Kelly and guide Michellie Jones have teamed up to win in the Edmonton leg of the ITU World Paratriathlon Series.
Kelly and California-based Jones have become a formidable team in recent years and the former said a shift to join coach Dan Atkins on the Gold Coast had helped in their quest to win another world title.
“It was just good fun to be out there racing again today … we really enjoyed it,” Kelly said of their win on Friday.
“Michellie has come over from the USA and we’ve had the week together in preparation and I guess what we really wanted was to put together a good race and it was great to get that result.
“We have built a special partnership and I’m very grateful for it.
“We first came together in Yokohama in May 2015 and went on to win the World Championship that year and then on to Rio last year for that amazing gold medal.
“No one knows what it’s like to be in a partnership like ours and I love it, the good and the bad moments.
“It’s been a long road since Rio, I’ve had some injuries and made a few changes, linking up with a new coach, Dan Atkins at the Triathlon Australia High Performances Centre on the Gold Coast but after coming through this race today, we are really focused on the World Championships in Rotterdam in September.”
Kelly has Usher syndrome and has been left with 10 per cent vision and legally blind as a result.
Emerging Gold Coast triathletes Matt Hauser and Jaz Hedgeland competed in the elite men and women’s races on Saturday, finishing 38th and 26th respectively.
Fellow Australian and 2018 Commonwealth Games qualifier Jake Birtwhistle finished second in the elite men’s race following a dramatic final run leg. Birtwhistle, 22, thought he was about to win the race when he broke away at the end of the second lap, only to realise he still had one to go.
He was forced to jump over the barriers before courageously holding on for second after being overtaken by Spain’s Mario Mola.