It was a day that more than whetted the appetite for what is to come in this year’s World Para Series. The Series opener in Devonport was replete with outstanding performances and an array of battles between the Australian, American and Japanese squads set up some early scores to be settled as the season progresses. With the European strongholds still to enter the fray later this year, the already fantastic racing promises to become even more intense. Find out how the races went down in Devonport below.
Howell and Harding withstand American onslaught
It was a good day for Team USA in Tasmania. Howie Sanborn (USA) won the PTWC class, defeating Nic Beveridge (AUS) by 1:41 after making up a 2-minute swim deficit with a crushing effort on the bike and run. Paralympic medallists Mohamed Lahna (USA) and Carson Clough (USA) then joined the party, running out as winners in the PTS2 and PTS4 classes, respectively.
Clough came under real pressure from Jeremy Peacock (AUS) in particular. He nonetheless managed to turn around a 40 second deficit entering the run into a win by 20 seconds. With Paralympic and world champion Chris Hammer (USA) set to go in the PTS5 class, worries of a total American gold rush were not unfounded.
Jack Howell (AUS), however, turned the tide.
Howell exited the 750m swim behind compatriot Jack Gibson (AUS) with Hammer almost 2 minutes in arrears. Although Hammer gained time on the bike, a Sanborn-style comeback was not on the cards, and he arrived in T2 still a minute behind the now-leading Howell. Howell’s 16:21 5km run split then held firm against Hammer’s effort of 16:17, ensuring he beat the world champion into silver. In a tense finale, David Bryant (AUS) then ran down Gibson to clinch the bronze medal by 20 seconds.
Sam Harding (AUS) added further gloss to the Australian men’s day with a win of his own. He and Owen Cravens (USA) exited the water with only 3 seconds between them. Cravens would gain 6 more seconds in T1. Just when it looked like the race would be defined by such narrow margins, the American took off. A 29:34 bike split over 20km ensured he arrived in T2 with a lead of a little over a minute. Staring down the barrel, Harding had work to do.
A slower T2 compounded Harding’s troubles. But then, he played his ace card. A 16:01 run split to Cravens’ 18:01 saw the Australian blow past and secure the win. As a result, while the final scorecard stood at three American golds to the Australian two, the home team acquitted themselves admirably against world class opposition.
Australian women run it back
Whereas the Americans were the primary danger in the men’s events, it was the Japanese contingent that proved the thorniest rivals to the Australian women. Mami Tani (JPN) knocked over home talent Sally Pilbeam (AUS) in the PTS4 class and Shiori Funamizu (JPN) earned a gold of her own in the PTWC race. However, Team Australia was buoyed by three defending winners from last year’s edition.
World champion Anu Francis (AUS) swept to victory in the PTS2 class, relegating Japanese challengers Asumi Yasuda and Yukako Hata to silver and bronze, respectively. Hata actually led out of the water, but Francis guaranteed her win by setting the fastest split at every interval thereafter.
Maggie Sandles (AUS) repeated her 2025 victory in Devonport in the PTVI class. She nearly came away with the fastest split in every discipline but was ultimately denied the best run when the job of winning gold was done. Her winning margin of 6:30 was comfortably the biggest of the day and served a real statement ahead of the upcoming season.
Finally, Grace Brimelow (AUS) converted a PTS4 gold from last year into a PTS5 victory this time around. After putting over 3 minutes into her closest rival during the swim, this race was hers to lose from the start. Nevertheless, a final gap between gold and silver of 2:40 reflected how Virginia Ogburn (USA) did not throw in the towel by any means. This was the young American’s sixth ever international start and as she becomes more accustomed to the level, she will no doubt enjoy her fair share of closer clashes with Brimelow.