Paralympic fever is rising. With the Games fast approaching, it is time to take a look at the female athletes that secured their slots in Paris after a hectic June that concluded with the World Para Series event in Montreal and saw the Paralympic rankings take their final shape.
To qualify for Paris, athletes had to be ranked in the top-9 in their category of the Paralympic rankings. This applied for all classifications except the women’s PTS3 class. Here, the racing in Paris will see a merger of two classes, with five athletes from the PTS3 category racing alongside nine athletes from the PTS4 group. In total, 50 women’s slots were available through the rankings with a maximum of two being available per national federation. A total of 16 additional slots across the men’s and women’s events were also available, subject to invitations from the Bipartite Commission. With the technical side out of the way, read on to find out who will be at the Paralympic Games.
PTWC
1) Lauren Parker H1 (AUS) 1800.00 points
2) Kendall Gretsch H2 (USA) 1706.25
3) Leanne Taylor H1 (CAN) 1571.22
4) Eva María Moral Pedrero H1 (ESP) 1554.02
5) Jessica Ferreira H1 (BRA) 1540.12
6) Brenda Osnaya Alvarez H1 (MEX) 1397.23
7) Melissa Nicholls H1 (GBR) 1391.18
8) Mona Francis H2 (FRA) 1325.58
9) Emelia Perry H1 (USA) 1313.11
There was no major movement in the PTWC women’s rankings in June. Parker remained at the top of the tree after a series of dominant wins. In the more recent World Para Series races, Taylor won in Swansea, beating Gretsch who in turn won in Montreal. Further down the standings, Francis finished 4th in Swansea to overhaul Perry. In terms of composition, though, the top-9 remained unchanged from earlier in the season.
PTVI
1) Francesca Tarantello B3 (ITA) 1758.75 points
2) Susana Rodriguez B1 (ESP) 1747.50
3) Chloe MacCombe B3 (IRL) 1571.22
4) Anja Renner B3 (GER) 1554.02
5) Annouck Curzillat B1(FRA) 1465.19
6) Heloise Courvoisier B3 (FRA) 1428.34
7) Alison Peasgood B2 (GBR) 1381.99
8) Leticia Freitas B1 (BRA) 1370.60
9) Judith MacCombe B3 (IRL) 1355.89
10) Anna Barbaro B1 (ITA) 1344.63
It is game on. Tarantello vs Rodriguez is shaping up to be a battle for the ages and their contest should produce fireworks in Paris. After Tarantello took home the gold medal in Yokohama in May, Rodriguez chalked up a win of her own in Montreal. The Italian athlete nonetheless ended the qualifying window on top courtesy of her 2023 world title. Rodriguez is the defending Paralympic champion and a proven force but the youngster Tarantello is gathering serious momentum. Meanwhile, a bronze medal in Swansea elevated Peasgood into a qualifying position. In an even later jump, Freitas claimed 4th place in Montreal to break into the top-9 on the very last day of qualification.
PTS2
1) Hailey Danz (USA) 1800.00 points
2) Anu Francis (AUS) 1706.25
3) Allysa Seely (USA) 1698.94
4) Melissa Stockwell (USA) 1562.77
5) Yukako Hata (JPN) 1483.06
6) Veronica Yoko Plebani (ITA) 1429.34
7) Neele Ludwig (GER) 1394.62
8) Cécile Saboureau (FRA) 1350.00
9) Rakel Mateo Uriarte (ESP) 1238.09
10) Emma Juaisca Rodriguez Rodriguez (VEN) 1197.01
Danz has been cream of the crop for much of the qualifying window however June showed she might not have things all her own way in Paris. Wins for Seely in both Swansea and Montreal saw her move up in the rankings while her fellow American Stockwell is a proven force in the PTS2 class and all three were able to qualify for another huge Paralympic showdown.
PTS4
1) Kelly Elmlinger (USA) PTS4 1800.00 points
2) Marta Francés Gómez (ESP) PTS4 1557.69
3) Megan Richter (GBR) PTS4 1526.25
4) Hannah Moore (GBR) PTS4 1512.47
5) Elise Marc (FRA) PTS3 1510.00
6) Grace Brimelow (AUS) PTS4 1500.00
7) Sally Pilbeam (AUS) PTS4 1451.82
8) Emma Meyers (USA) PTS4 1445.28
9) Kirsty Weir (RSA) PTS4 1366.25
10) Camille Seneclauze (FRA) PTS4 1357.43
11) Kendra Herber (USA) PTS4 1348.40
12) Elke Van Engelen (GER) PTS4 1344.37
13) Hannah MacDougall (AUS) PTS4 1289.49
14) Mami Tani (JPN) PTS4 1275.10
15) Kelly Worrell (USA) PTS4 1184.95
16) Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas (MEX) PTS3 1155.93
17) Cassie Cava (IRL) PTS3 1150.67
18) Atalia Nevo (ISR) PTS4 1146.77
19) Carmen Gonzalez Sanchez (ESP) PTS4 1059.34
20) Anna Plotnikova (AIN) PTS3 1058.99
24) Rachel Watts (USA) PTS3 329.44
To start with the simpler aspect, the five PTS3 athletes have secured their places. Marc proved too good for her rivals on multiple occasions to end the qualifying window as the top athlete from the category. Cava of Ireland nearly took the next spot after some promising results but could not get past Villalobos. Plotnikova and Watts then received the final two slots.
It was the PTS4 class that proved a little more complex. Elmlinger was again the standout athlete of the qualifying window and ended the period with a healthy lead at the top of the rankings. A win for Moore in Swansea bumped her up the standings while the form of Richter likewise saw her jump up by multiple places. Seneclauze and Van Engelen were the final women to qualify in the PTS4 class and held off several athletes that came close to pipping them. Herber and MacDougall were two close contenders, with the latter gaining a lot of places courtesy of finishes of 3rd in Swansea and 5th in Montreal, but both ultimately missed out.
PTS5
1) Grace Norman (USA) 1750.00 points
2) Claire Cashmore (GBR) 1747.50
3) Kamylle Frenette (CAN) 1612.77
4) Lauren Steadman (GBR) 1557.69
5) Gwladys Lemoussu (FRA) 1529.34
6) Alisa Kolpakchy (UKR) 1453.65
7) Marta Dzieciątkowska (POL) 1408.75
8) Andrea Miguelez Ranz (ESP) 1374.03
9) Monika Belczewska (POL) 1341.19
14) Laura-Liis Juursalu (EST) 1092.41
The women’s PTS5 class was a case of home wins to wrap up the qualifying window. Cashmore triumphed on British soil in Swansea while Frenette came away with the gold medal in Montreal after taking silver in Swansea. A bronze medal for Kolpakchy in Montreal saw her move up a spot while a bronze for Belczewska similarly handed her 9th place. The overarching story of the PTS5 class, though, has been the continued, unfaltering excellence of Norman and she heads to Paris as the world champion.
