Triathlon New Zealand is proud to announce their paratriathlon team hopefuls in Rob Matthews and Miriam Jenkins to compete at this year’s World Championships on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Born with a degenerative eye condition (Retinitis Pigmentosa), and blind since the age of twenty, Rob Matthews believes blindness has enriched his life. His personal achievements speak for themselves with 22 World Records and 29 international medals in athletics including eight Paralympic gold medals over seven Paralympic Games.

The pair are the first paratriathletes to be selected for the New Zealand Worlds Champs team.

Tri NZ is sending a total of 251 standard, 95 sprint and 2 paratriathlon standard distance athletes to the Gold Coast. Plus, to be confirmed, the number of elite, under 19 & 23 and open athletes, which will be the biggest team that New Zealand has ever sent to a World Champs meet.

Miriam Jenkins will be the other paratriathlete competing, and the 23 year old is no stranger to big meets.

With a solid background in swimming and athletics consisting of three silvers in the 2006 Athletics NZ National Champs, two golds, two silvers and two bronze medals at the 2005 Paralympics NZ National Champs, plus a gold and silver at the CP-ISRA World Champs held in the USA, Jenkins will look to add to her winning total.

Tri NZ alongside the ITU is continuing to assist in the development of paratriathlon and its push to have the sport included in the Paralympic Games.

In the move to select a paratriathlon team for the first time, Tri NZ hopes to build the profile of these athletes within New Zealand and across the globe. With Matthews and Jenkins determination and winning attitudes these athletes are ones to keep an eye during this event and in the future.

Stay tuned for the World Championships on the Gold Coast Australia, 9-13th September.

If you have any additional question about ITU Paratriathlon please contact Thanos Nikopoulos.