Paris paratriathlon: Megan Richter joy at surprise gold
Former swimmer was overwhelmed as she shared the podium with GB bronze medallist Hannah Moore
“I’m still in complete shock, I can’t believe that happened,” reflected Megan Richter as she followed Dave Ellis’ success an hour earlier to became Great Britain’s fourth Paralympic paratriathlon gold medallist in history.
The pair’s podium-topping feats now puts them in a elite club of GB paratriathletes that was started by Andy Lewis’s Rio 2016 gold and continued by Lauren Steadman ‘s victory in Tokyo three years ago. But 23-year-old Richter is the biggest surprise of the four having only sealed her qualification in the PTS4 class for Paris with a runner-up spot to Hannah Moore in Swansea in June.
Although she placed third in 100m backstroke in the 2019 swimming world championship, it was Richter’s first Paralympic Games and having been joined by an emotional Moore on the podium in Paris, she said: “I can’t believe it happened on my first go. Hopefully it’ll start sinking in over the next few hours. I could feel my legs starting to go but I just needed to get to the end.”
Richter admitted that fortune played in her favour with the late withdrawal through illness of USA’s Kelly Elmlinger who had been the clear favourite in the PTS4 class, and the Brit was thankful that her own setback of a stress fracture in 2023 was well behind her.
“The races started going well at the start of this season and the timing has been perfect,” she continued. “It’s been such an amazing year travelling the world doing triathlon and now I can carry on doing it full time, I’m so happy.”
Academic career on hold
Having finished studying a masters in cardiovascular science, Richter put her academic career on hold to focus on triathlon and “see where I could go with it.” Having gone to the top of the Paralympic podium, she’s now hoping additional funding will allow her to continue to Los Angeles in four years. “I’ll do everything I can to get there. I’m so grateful I get to carry on doing this amazing sport and now I’ve won a medal I’ll have a bit more money!”
Richter was originally meant to be racing on Sunday and one of the only disappointments was that due to the delay because of poor water quality in the Seine, several of her friends from her former swimming club who’d made a surprise visit to watch in Paris, had had to return to the UK for work. Richter was still thankful for the support on the streets though as taking part in the final event of 11 she was subject to the hottest part of the day.
“It was so cool having people watching. Normally we don’t get big crowds, but to have everyone here was amazing.
Since I was little this was all I dreamed of. I have looked up to people like [Paralympic swimmer] Ellie Simmonds and wanted to be exactly like her!”
Richter even said that despite taking precautions such as mouthwash and sterilising the kit afterwards, she actually enjoyed the swim. “It’s one of the nicer swims I’ve done this year,” she explained. “Massive kudos to Paris for cleaning their biggest river. I know there have been some issues but they have done such a good job. I can’t imagine swimming through London in the Thames.”
Moore was equally elated after her bronze medal rounded out Britain’s best-ever Paralympic paratriathlon tally of two golds, a silver and two bronzes. It was extra special after her PTS4 class wasn’t included on the programme in Tokyo and she took some time away from the sport.
“It’s been seven years of hard work to get here,” she said. “I feel like it’s been a really difficult journey with a lot of highs and lows and I just can’t believe that it’s happened.”
She also had a message for others who might have doubted themselves in the past. “I just want to say: ‘Don’t count yourself out and never stop believing in yourself. If you believe you can achieve something you can achieve it.'”
Tim Heming
Freelance triathlon journalist 
