YOKOHAMA, Japan — Allysa Seely (Glendale, Ariz., PTS2) and Mark Barr (Houston, Texas, PTS2) claimed victories on Saturday at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series opener, leading an eight-medal haul for the U.S. contingent in Yokohama, Japan.

Seely covered the sprint-distance 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run course in 1 hour, 17 minutes, 39 seconds to win the women’s PTS2 class. U.S. teammate Hailey Danz (Chicago, Ill.) was less than two minutes behind her in 1:19:18, and Great Britain’s Fran Brown took third in 1:20:51. Seely, the 2016 Paralympic gold medalist, has claimed wins on this course for the past three consecutive years. 

In the men’s PTS2 race, Barr had a dominant swim that put him nearly a minute ahead of the rest of the field. France’s Stephane Bahier made up some ground on the bike, and Spain’s Lionel Morales challenged on the run. Barr held onto the lead, though, breaking the tape in 1:06:42. Bahier earned the silver in 1:07:17, and Morales took bronze in 1:08:15. Mohamed Lahna (Colorado Springs, Colo.) also raced well, finishing just off the podium in fourth in 1:09:34.

Ahalya Lettenberger (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) earned her first ITU World Paratriathlon Series medal with a bronze in the women’s PTWC class. She covered the course in 1:15:09, finishing just 16 seconds behind silver medalist Lauren Parker of Australia. Hometown favorite Wakako Tsuchida of Japan earned the women’s PTWC title in 1:11:23. 

It was a close race in the men’s PTS4 class, as Jamie Brown (Bend, Ore.) claimed silver with a time of 1:01:41. He was less than a minute back from gold medalist Alexis Hanquinquant of France (1:00:43), and only 27 seconds ahead of bronze medalist Steven Crowley of Great Britain (1:02:08). 

Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio), a two-time ITU world champion and 2016 Paralympic gold medalist, claimed silver in the women’s PTS5 class in a battle with Great Britain’s Lauren Steadman. The two women came out of the water together, but Steadman had a strong bike that put her in the lead by about two minutes heading onto the run. Norman made up a few seconds over the 5k run, but it was not enough to pass her rival, who took the win in 1:06:39. Norman came through for silver in 1:08:46, and France’s Gwladys Lemoussu claimed bronze in 1:12:12.

All three medalists in the men’s PTS5 class finished within 47 seconds of each other. Great Britain’s George Peasgood took the win in 1:00:12, but not far behind him were runner-up Alexandr Ialchik of Russia (1:00:37) and bronze medalist Chris Hammer (Salt Lake City, Utah) in 1:00:59. Hammer was fifth out of the water and had the fifth-fastest bike split in the field, but he used a race-leading 16:29 5k to run his way into podium position.

In the women’s PTVI class, Elizabeth Baker (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) raced to silver with a time of 1:11:05. Spain’s Susana Rodriguez was the champion in 1:08:15, and Italy’s Anna Barbaro rounded out the podium in 1:15:42.

Also representing the U.S. in Yokohama were Joel Rosinbum (Austin, Texas), who placed seventh in the men’s PTS4 class, and Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Md.), who took fifth for PTVI men.

The ITU World Paratriathlon Series continues with a stop in Edmonton, Canada, on July 27. 

2018 ITU World Paratriathlon Yokohama
750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run | Complete Results

PTWC Women
1. Wakako Tsuchida (JPN), 1:11:23
2. Lauren Parker (AUS), 1:14:53
3. Ahalya Lettenberger (Glen Ellyn, Ill.), 1:15:09

PTWC Men
1. Jetze Plat (NED), 56:21
2. Geert Schipper (NED), 58:56
3. Joseph Townsend (GBR), 1:02:01

PTS2 Women
1. Allysa Seely (Glendale, Ariz.), 1:17:39
2. Hailey Danz (Chicago, Ill.), 1:19:18
3. Fran Brown (GBR), 1:20:51

PTS2 Men
1. Mark Barr (Houston, Texas), 1:06:42
2. Stephane Bahier (FRA), 1:07:17
3. Lional Morales (ESP), 1:08:15
4. Mohamed Lahna (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 1:09:34

PTS3 Women
1. Elise Marc (FRA), 1:19:11

PTS3 Men
1. Justin Godfrey (AUS), 1:06:58
2. Ryan Taylor (GBR), 1:08:09
3. Joaquin Carrasco (ESP), 1:21:57

PTS4 Women
1. Mami Tani (JPN), 1:13:56
2. Anna Plotnikova (RUS), 1:16:03
3. Sally Pilbeam (AUS), 1:17:42

PTS4 Men
1. Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA), 1:00:43
2. Jamie Brown (Bend, Ore.), 1:01:41
3. Steven Crowley (GBR), 1:02:08
7. Joel Rosinbum (Austin, Texas), 1:08:49

PTS5 Women
1. Lauren Steadman (GBR), 1:06:39
2. Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio), 1:08:46
3. Gwladys Lemoussu (FRA), 1:12:12

PTS5 Men
1. George Peasgood (GBR), 1:00:12
2. Alexandr Ialchik (RUS), 1:00:37
3. Chris Hammer (Salt Lake City, Utah), 1:00:59

PTVI Women
1. Susana Rodriguez (ESP), 1:08:15
2. Elizabeth Baker (Signal Mountain, Tenn.), 1:11:05
3. Anna Barbaro (ITA), 1:15:42

PTVI Men
1. Dave Ellis (GBR), 1:00:57
2. Jose Luis Garcia Serrano (ESP), 1:02:15
3. Alen Kobilica (SLO), 1:05:45
5. Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Md.), 1:05:59

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