Paris paratriathlon: Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman return to the podium in PTS5 class
There was no gold this time, but British duo of Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman were more than content with silver and bronze as GB win five medals in Paris
Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman are used to standing on Paralympic podiums.
Silver in Paris gave former swimmer Cashmore a remarkable 10th Paralympic (and second paratri) medal, while Steadman now has the full set of gold, silver and bronze from her paratriathlon exertions in Rio, Tokyo and Paris.
But while Steadman was unable to defend her title, she spoke candidly about how that after the challenges of the past three years, Paris bronze was extra special.
“I was really unwell mentally last year and I didn’t think I’d be here so that medal meant more than my gold medal,” the 31-year-old said. “Crossing the line today overwhelmed me and it’s taken everything I’ve got to be here and I’m immensely proud of myself and cannot wait to see my family.”
Having taken time out after the win in Japan, Steadman has faced a difficult return to competition, including contracting Covid in March, which meant she hadn’t raced since last year’s world championship in Spain.
“When Covid got me, I was like: ‘2024 can’t get any worse!’,” she said. “The field has got stronger and stronger, I had the two years out. Maybe later I’ll share with the world the notes I wrote to myself last night and one of them was to embrace everything it is to be a Paralympian and to be proud and know that a medal doesn’t define who I am.
“I got quite hooked up on being Lauren The Triathlete and have spent three years trying to figure out who I am. I thought I wasn’t going to make the podium this morning so was super chuffed to bring another medal back for Paralympics GB, we have just stormed the table so far this Games.”
The same three women from Tokyo stood on the podium again, but in a different order as Cashmore upgraded from bronze and USA’s Grace Norman delivered a standout performance to regain the title she won in Rio as a teenager.
“The crowd was just incredible,” Cashmore said. “I think I just smiled the whole way. I tried to go with [Grace on the run] but I just felt a bit flat. The bike course is hard, it’s very on-and-off, and I just didn’t quite have the run speed I should have had. But she’s on another level at the moment.
Cashmore had experienced a bit of a scare on the course reccie at the weekend when her brakes “fell off” aided by the vibrations from the cobbles, but had no concerns about the much-maligned river swim. “It was awesome. It was amazing in there. It was clear, it seemed really clean and it was just a fun dynamic. It’s so different from any other racing we’ve ever done. I don’t think we’ll ever get as an iconic race as that ever again.”
As Cashmore was starting her race, partner Dave Ellis was on his way to gold in the visually-impaired class on a packed morning and early afternoon of paratri that included 11 events, increased by three from the last Paralympics.
“I’m so happy!” she added. “All I was bothered about when I crossed the finish line was: ‘Please tell me Dave has won!’ He’s just the most determined, hardworking person I’ve ever met and finally he’s flipping got what he deserved – especially after Tokyo.”
Eliis had suffered the misfortune of a broken chain in Japan that abruptly ended his race and Cashmore was fighting back the tears of relief as she continued. “I felt so stressed not being able to watch him. I’d been happy when I was [initially] racing the day before, but I’m buzzing for him, he really deserves it.”
Originally, two days of paratriathlon had been scheduled, but organisers ruled on Friday morning that it would be reduced to one day for fears of an uncertain weather forecast. It was then all pushed to today after the Seine failed water quality tests yesterday morning.
With a gold and silver to take back to their home in Loughborough, Cashmore was just proud that finally she’s not the only one in the family with Paralympic bling. “I can’t tell you how resilient he is,” she added. “He has come back from that and won everything since. The work he does day-in, day-out is inspiring and I watch him and think he’s an absolute champion.”
Tim Heming
Freelance triathlon journalist 
