RUSSIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PARA TRIATHLON COMPLETED IN TYUMEN

09 July 2019

Medalists of the events

Women (PTS2+PTS3+PTS4+PTS5+PTWC):
1. Anna Bychkova (Stavropol Krai-Rostov Oblast)
2. Irina Grazhdanova (Moscow)
3. Anna Plotnikova (Tyumen Oblast)

Men
PTWC+PTS2+PTS3:
1. Mikhail Astashov (Sverdlovsk Oblast.-Buryatia)
2. Vasily Egorov (Tyumen Oblast)
3. Victor Chebotarev (Rostov Oblast)

PTS4:
1. Mikhail Kolmakov (Nizhny Novgorod Oblast)
2. Denis Kungurtsev (Tyumen Oblast)
3. Andrei Tolstikov (Moscow)

PTS5:
1. Alexander Yalchik (Tyumen Oblast)
2. Alexander Konyshev (Krasnoyarsk Krai)
3. Andrei Korkin (Moscow Oblast)

Marina Nikitina, head coach of Russian national team, summarized the events:

“All the events took place in the very suitable weather: water and outside temperatures stayed just about 20 degrees (68 degrees F)

However, the course was very challenging. Athletes started by swimming 2 laps (0.75 km), then cycled 5 laps (20 km) on a trail with many turns and steep uphills and downhills, which are especially hard for wheelchair athletes, followed by 3 laps of running (5 km).

I was astonished by the high level of performance by Mikhail Astashov and Anna Bychkova. It is Mikhail’s first time to take a victory on the Russian championship, and Anna took the gold medal back after a 2-year brake from triathlon.”

Para triathlon was introduced to Paralympic program during 2016 Paralympic games in Rio. Paratriathlon consists of 3 disciplines: swimming (750m), cycling (20km) and running (5 km). Athletes compete in 6 disciplines. 5 for physical impairment athletes: 1 sitting (PTWC), 4 standing categories (PTS2,PTS3,PTS4,PTS5), and 1 for athletes with visual impairment (PTVI). In cycling, sitting-positioned athletes use handbike, other athletes stay with regular bicycle. In running, sitting athletes race in wheelchair, others may use prosthesis. Athletes with visual impairment compete with help from a leading person. On the 2020 Paralympic games in Tokyo there are going to be 8 events in para triathlon.

Press-center of Russian Paralympic Committee