Get ready for an extraordinary set of races at the 2026 World Para Championships
There are several ways to measure greatness, but the simplest metric is usually the safest. When it comes to triathlon, gold medals are the currency in which we primarily deal and at this week’s World Para Championships one athlete is chasing the victory that would lift him to unprecedented heights in the sport.
With several others chasing history, rivalries to be renewed and upsets lying in wait over the sprint distance, this will be an event not to be missed. Catch every moment on Friday 25th September with the action starting on TriathlonLive from 09:45 (CEST).
PTS4
We start with the headline act. Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA) is going for number 10. Not Downing Street for our British readers, but rather a tenth world title in Para triathlon. Already the most decorated triathlete ever by weight of gold, a win in Pontevedra would make him the first triathlete to hit double digits in world titles. Paralympic medallist Carson Clough (USA) will look to slow the Frenchman’s charge, as will Hanquinquant’s teammate Antoîne Lamarche Poulain (FRA). Being unbeaten this decade, though, the path ahead looks clear for Hanquinquant to claim this victory and many more.
Another French victory could follow in the women’s PTS4 class as Camille Seneclauze (FRA) looks to defend the title she first won last year. Seneclauze is unbeaten this year, with wins at the European Championships as well as the Yokohama and Hamburg World Para Series events. She will be pushed all the way by Danielle Cummings (USA), who won the Montreal leg of the World Para Series and placed 2nd at last year’s World Para Championships. Kelly Elmlinger (USA) is another experienced operator that could slide into the mix.
PTVI
When it comes to potential history-makers, the PTVI class is home to two major names. Like Hanquinquant, Dave Ellis (GBR) will be pursuing a tenth World Para Championships medal in Pontevedra; the difference between the two is that the Briton is currently on eight golds. Aside from a shock loss at the Tarragona European Championships, Ellis is very much the undisputed king of the class. Lazar Filipovic (SRB) upset him in Tarragona, but doing so twice in one year is a big ask. Look for Sarm Harding (AUS) and Antoine Perel (FRA) to also feature prominently.
In the women’s event, we have the athlete with the most ever World Para Championships medals: Susana Rodriguez (ESP) with twelve. The home star is searching for a baker’s dozen this week as well as an eighth world title. One thing that will be on her mind, however, is that Francesca Tarentello (ITA) beat her to the world title when the championships were last held in Pontevedra in 2023. Might history repeat itself, or will Rodriguez rectify that defeat? Elsewhere, McClain Hermes (USA) and Maggie Sandles (AUS) have had stellar seasons and could deliver a medal.
PTS3
In the PTS3 class, we have another Spanish athlete that stands atop the overall medal table. Daniel Molina (ESP), the reigning Paralympic champion, has eleven World Para Championships medals, of which five are gold. He is definitely in form to maintain his margin at the top of the medal table, although adding another gold will be an almighty challenge. Britain’s Henry Urand is gunning for a third straight world title and is the clear top dog in this class nowadays. In addition, Cedric Denuziere (FRA) is part of a cohort of men that on their day could knock Molina from the podium altogether.
History also calls for Elise Marc (FRA) as she attempts to match Hanquinquant and Ellis with a tenth career World Para Championship medal. Anna Plotnikova (AIN) and Serena Banzato (ITA) are among her strongest opponents, but Marc has been a dominant force in this class for quite some time. On the balance of probabilities, she will claim a tenth medal and probably a seventh world title assuming all goes to plan.
PTS2
From here on, we have a slight shift in the contests. Although there are still plenty of athletes with illustrious records at the World Para Championships, what distinguishes the coming classes is the depth of competition in each. Take the men’s PTS2 class. Jules Ribstein (FRA) should be the prohibitive favourite. He has five world titles to his name and is the defending world and Paralympic champion. Equally, on his day 2024 world champion Wim De Paepe (BEL) can hit levels that are difficult to match, while Mohamed Lahna (USA) would love nothing more than to cap a year in which he raced across America with global glory.
Similarly, Hailey Danz (USA) is an icon of the women’s PTS2 class with eleven World Para Championships medals and four wins. However, she was defeated by Australia’s Anu Francis last year, and Francis has gone from strength to strength since. In Asumi Yasuda and Yukako Hata, Japan are also represented by a strong duo; Yasuda for instance medalled at all four World Para Series stops this year, winning in Montreal. As such, while the weight of history gives us favourites in the PTS2 categories, these will be seriously bruising battles.
PTWC
At this point in time, we have to divide the men’s PTWC class in two. On the one side, we have Thomas Fruehwirth (AUT). Outside of a disqualification in 2025, the reigning world champion has not lost internationally in two years and his form is of such an imperious nature that he is nearing Hanquinquant-levels of gold medal certainty.
On the other side of the class, however, we have a thrilling competition at hand. Americas champion Howie Sanborn (USA) will look to make a first World Para Championships podium after placing 4th last year while Florian Brungraber (AUT) has spent the past year collecting silver medals behind Fruehwirth, but silver medals are still medals. Will he continue his podium streak or will Jumpei Kimura (JPN), Louis Noel (FRA), Joshua Landmann (GBR) or Giuseppe Romele (ITA) sneak by him?
On the women’s side, the focus will be on the ongoing duel between Paris Paralympic champion Lauren Parker (AUS) and Tokyo Paralympic champion Kendall Gretsch (USA). Parker, the defending gold medallist, has seven World Para Championships medals with five wins against 2024 world champion Gretsch’s seven medals and four wins. Both seem likely to make it eight medals this week, but Gretsch could draw back level on the gold count. At the same time, Jessica Ferreira (BRA) and Leanne Taylor (CAN) are among a talented group that could play spoiler. The Brazilian athlete has five World Para Championships medals but would sorely love a first victory.
PTS5
Lastly, we come to the royal rumbles. In both the men’s and women’s events, the PTS5 races are the only ones in which three athletes with multiple world titles are set to go head-to-head-to-head. Furthermore, such is the depth of the field, at least one of these multiple time world champions could miss the podium altogether.
On the men’s side, Tokyo Paralympic champion Martin Schulz (GER) has a great record at the World Para Championships with ten medals and four wins. That is almost matched by 2024 world champion Stefan Daniel (CAN) who has nine medals and six wins, while Paris Paralympic champion and the reigning world champion Chris Hammer (USA) has seven medals and two wins. It is impossible to predict which of these three will win, but also the incredibly talents of Jack Howell (AUS), Ruiter Antonio Goncalves Silva (BRA), Filipe Marques (POR) and Bence Mocsari (HUN) could shove Schulz, Daniel and Hammer to the side entirely.
In the women’s race, Grace Norman (USA) is the form athlete and has an awesome multi-year unbeaten run to maintain. With ten medals and six golds, she is also the most successful PTS5 athlete ever at the World Para Championships. Norman’s predecessor as Paralympic champion, Lauren Steadman (GBR), should likewise be in the mix, as will her compatriot Claire Cashmore (GBR). Steadman has nine medals and three wins at these championships to Cashmore’s six and two.
However, the rising Australian teenager Grace Brimelow, already a World Para Series race winner, comes in as last year’s silver medallist and seems set to beat at least one of her esteemed competitors. After all, those chasing history in Pontevedra never quite know when time and the next generation are going to catch them.
