ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Twelve elite paratriathletes, including seven 2016 U.S. Paralympians, will represent the United States on Friday at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The race is the first on the program of the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, which also features world championship events for elite, U23, junior and age-group triathletes. 

The paratriathlon world championships will begin at 3 a.m. ET on Friday (9 a.m. local time). Athletes will cover a sprint-distance course featuring a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run. A free finish-line livestream will be available at triathlonlive.tv, and fans can also follow the action live on Twitter at @TriathlonLive. An open paratriathlon competition will also take place on Friday, starting at 5:10 a.m. ET (11:10 a.m. local time). 

Headlining the U.S. contingent are Paralympic medalists Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio, PTS5), Allysa Seely (Glendale, Ariz., PTS2), and Hailey Danz (Chicago, Ill., PTS2).

Norman won a gold medal in the debut of paratriathlon at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games last summer, finishing more than a minute ahead of her closest competitor in the women’s PT4 division. For her dominant performance in Rio, Norman was nominated for an ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete with a Disability. She has shown this year that she is still in good form, taking gold in July at ITU World Paratriathlon Edmonton. 

Seely and Danz earned gold and silver medals, respectively, at the 2016 Paralympic Games as part of a U.S. podium sweep in the women’s PT2 division with bronze medalist Melissa Stockwell. 

Seely was victorious in the first two World Paratriathlon Series races of the season in Gold Coast, Australia, and Yokohama, Japan, before taking time off due to injury. Danz earned silver in each of her two WPS starts this season in Yokohama and Edmonton; she also won the USA Paratriathlon National Championships in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, in June.

At the top of the start list in the men’s PTS2 division is Mark Barr (Houston, Texas). Barr, a fourth-place finisher at the 2016 Paralympic Games, was the runner-up this season at both WPS Gold Coast and WPS Yokohama. 

Chris Hammer, who also took fourth at the 2016 Paralympic Games, leads the start list in the men’s PTS5 division. He is undefeated this season in international competition, with victories at WPS Gold Coast and WPS Yokohama.

Also leading his division is Aaron Scheidies (Seattle, Wash., PTVI). Scheidies is a five-time ITU paratriathlon world champion and a 2016 Paralympian in the sport of para-cycling. This season, he has collected wins at Paratriathlon Nationals and the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships.

Joel Rosinbum (Austin, Texas) and Jamie Brown (Bend, Ore.) will represent Team USA in the men’s PTS4 division. Rosinbum placed second at Paratriathlon Nationals in June, and followed that with a win at the Magog ITU Paratriathlon World Cup and a bronze at WPS Edmonton in July. 

Brown placed 10th at the 2016 World Championships, also held in Rotterdam, and narrowly missed a spot on the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team roster. Brown has come into form in his second elite season, earning gold medals at WPS Yokohama and at the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships.

Competing in the women’s PTS4 division is 2016 U.S. Paralympian Patty Collins (Alexandria, Va.). Collins has cracked the podium in every one of her race starts this season, highlighted by wins at Paratriathlon Nationals and the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships.

In the women’s PTVI division, Amy Dixon (Encinitas, Calif.) is ranked No. 2 on the start list. Dixon has a gold medal from the Magog World Cup and a bronze from WPS Edmonton on her resume this season.

Mary Kate Callahan (Chicago, Ill.) and Ahalya Lettenberger (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) are both medal contenders in the women’s PTWC division. Callahan is a six-time ITU World Paratriathlon medalist, including a silver this season in Gold Coast. Lettenberger is a 2016 Parapan American Games competitor in swimming. She took silver in June at Paratriathlon Nationals, and the Rotterdam Grand Final will mark her first international paratriathlon competition.

Complete paratriathlon start lists are available at triathlon.org.

Visit rotterdam.triathlon.org for complete event information, schedule and start lists for all races at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final. For complete coverage of U.S. performances at all races, visit usatriathlon.org.

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).