Dave Ellis retains his World Paratriathlon title in Abu Dhabi

The World Paratriathlon Championship held in Abu Dhabi saw three medals won by the British athletes. To begin with, the British team were competing for not only the medals, but also, for their teammate George Peasgood who was in their thoughts following his freak bike accident in early October.

The PTVI (visually impaired) Commonwealth champion Dave Ellis successfully defended his world paratriathlon title and became Britain’s sole winner in the recently concluded World Triathlon Championships held in Abu Dhabi. This win ensured that, Dave won British, European, Commonwealth and World Championship titles this year, alongside the World Triathlon Para Series (WTPS) and Para Cup victories. This was his third world championship following a disappointing Tokyo 2020 paralympic outing which saw the three-time world champion to bow out of the competition with a flat tire.

This victory was ably supported by longstanding guide Luke Pollard and the duo managed to overtake the French pair of Thibaut Rigaudeau and his guide, Cyril Viennot, despite trailing them on water. The time lost in water was swiftly recovered by the pair on the bike leg and the Brit athletes successfully managed to add another piece of silverware to an already joyous 2022. The Commonwealth Games champions crossed the line with 59:13 on the clock, beating French runners-up Thibaut Rigaudeau and Cyril Viennot by one minute and four seconds.

But unlike 2021, where both Ellis and his partner Claire Cashmore (PTS5) were crowned world champions in Abu Dhabi, this time Cashmore had to settle for silver behind USA’s 2016 Paralympic champion Grace Norman despite her best efforts.

Britain’s third medal from the 12 races – six male and six female categories – was landed by Alison Peasgood, also in the PTVI (visually impaired) class. Peasgood, who was fourth last year in Tokyo and did not finish in the Commonwealth Games this summer, took bronze behind Spain’s formidable Susana Rodriguez and Italy’s Francesca Tarantello.