The United States Paralympic team has celebrated a historic clean sweep in the women's triathlon at the Rio 2016 Games, with American athletes claiming all three medals in the PT2 category. Allysa Seely took gold, followed by Hailey Danisewicz with silver and Melissa Stockwell with bronze, marking the first time the event has been held at the Paralympics.
Seely, 27, from Glendale, Arizona, overcame brain and spinal complications and a left leg amputation to win the gold medal. She completed a 750m swim, 22.28km bike ride and 5km run in a time just under a minute ahead of Danisewicz. Danisewicz, 25, from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, had her left leg amputated above the knee due to bone cancer at age 14 and was a world champion in 2013.
Stockwell, 36, from Chicago, Illinois, a motivational speaker and Iraq war veteran who lost her left leg above the knee from a roadside bomb, said: 'I'm so proud to be part of an overall debut of para-triathlon and to finish third and to be on the podium with my two teammates... This bronze medal feels like gold.'
In the PT4 category, 18-year-old Grace Norman from Jamestown, Ohio, also won gold. Born missing her left leg below the knee due to congenital constriction band syndrome, she said: 'I'm extremely honoured to win the gold medal at the first ever triathlon at the Paralympic Games.' Norman will also compete in the 400m event.
The US women's success brought the country's total gold medal haul to ten at the Rio Paralympics, with Seely expressing her pride: 'To be able to get my name go down as the first gold medallist for para-triathlon is a huge honour.'
