Hailey Danz Swims, Bikes And Runs To First Para Triathlon Gold As U.S. Triathletes Win Eight Medals On A Spectacular Day in Paris

PARIS – The Seine River proved inviting to Hailey Danz and seven American teammates, all of whom medaled across 11 paratriathlon events on a gorgeous Monday at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Delivering a dominant performance in the 20-kilometer bike discipline, pedaling powerfully and efficiently with her right leg, Danz sped to an elusive first Paralympic gold medal in paratriathlon. The victory was extra sweet for the 33-year-old left-leg amputee, an improvement upon silver medals at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Danz won the women’s paratriathlon PTS2 finishing on Pont Alexandre III in a time of 1:14.31, 1:06 faster than Italian silver medalist Veronica Yoko Plebani.

"It's gonna take a bit to sink in – I’ve wanted this for so long,” Danz said. “I have been fighting it for so long. There have just been so many setbacks and challenges along the way. The voice of doubt was really loud the last couple of months."

Two-time defending Paralympic champion Allysa Seely ran the fastest run time of 21:47 in the third and final of the three phases, overtaking Australian Anu Francis to add a bronze medal to her collection. 

"From the moment I woke up this morning I just wasn't feeling my best,” Seely said. “Not sure what it was. Today, I can just chalk it up, I didn't race my best.” 

Danz exited the Seine River 750-meter swim in second place, seven seconds behind U.S. teammate Melissa Stockwell. She swiftly took the lead, riding her red Trek bike, increasing her advantage over Plebani and other opponents at every split time. The Colorado Springs, Colorado, resident’s front-running time on the bike was 36:06 – racing along a scenic course that took athletes past iconic Parisienne landmarks, including a stretch of the Champs-Élysées. Danz was a considerable 1:41 faster than Plebani and 3:28 quicker than Seely in the bike phase.

Third-fastest in the concluding run, Danz savored victory as she crossed the finish line on Pont Alexandre III in the heart of the French capital.

"I tried to let it soak in – overthe course of the race I just had to pause for a couple of moments and take in this incredible place that we're in,” Danz said. “Seeing my family, my girlfriend, my whole staff and teammates in the stands bringing me in.”

It was also a prosperous morning for the U.S. men as veteran competitors Mohamed Lahna and Mark Barr swam, biked and ran their way to silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the PTS2 class.

The 42-year-old Lahna crossed the Ponte Alexandre III finish line with a time of 1:07.18, 17 seconds faster than Barr, in a race won by Frenchman Jules Ribstein. 

Lahna – who was born in Casablanca, Morocco – added a silver medal to his bronze from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

"It took eight years to go from third to second; quite the progress,” Lahna said, with a touch of self-depricating humor.

"I was a little bit nervous with the delay that we had, but I'm very happy to show the progress and showcase my training for the past eight years,” he said, referring to the one-day postponement of all triathlon events due to Seine River water quality concerns.

Lahna and his 38-year-old teammate Barr celebrated together posing for photos draped in U.S. flags. Barr, a resident of Texas, who competed in swimming at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, earned his first paratriathlon medal. He finished fourth at Rio 2016.

Not surprisingly, Barr led after the opening swim discipline, 15 seconds faster than the Frenchman Ribstein.

"I've been chasing the podium for 20 years, since 2004 – three fourth places, which is the worst place you can get in a race, so to finish on the podium finally is very rewarding,” Barr said. 

"To get third alongside my teammate, training partner (Lahna), we've been competing together for 14 years, it's pretty cool to share the podium with him."

Arizone native Chris Hammer joined Danz as a second U.S. paratriathlon gold medalist, taking top honors in the PTS5 class in a time of 58:44, 17 seconds faster than Brazilian runner-up Ronan Cordeiro. Hammer was fastest among the field in both the bike and run disciplines.

The 38-year-old veteran paratriathlete savored the hard-earned victory, striking gold after having finished fourth and out of the medals at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Hammer succeeded on his lifelong goal of winning a Paralympics medal of any color, having also competed in Para track and field in the men's T46 marathon, 800-meter and 1,500-meter at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Perseverance certainly paid off.

Grace Norman-Taylor became the third U.S. paratriathlete to attain gold, as she won the women’s paratriathlon PTS5. The 26-year-old from Indiana clocked the fastest swim and run times, winning the race in 1:04.40, 1:15 faster than Great Britain’s Claire Cashmore.

It is a second gold medal for Norman-Taylor, who also achieved victory at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, in addition to silver at Tokyo 2020. She is also a four-time world champion.

The multi-talented adaptive athlete has also represented the U.S. in Para track and field, winning a bronze medal in the T44 400-meter event at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Whether racing on her cross-country skis, swimming, biking or running , Kendall Gretsch is tough to beat.

Austrialian Lauren Parker – who finished runner-up to Gretsch three years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics – pulled off the difficult task, winning the women’s paratriathlon PTWC class. Gretsch, 32, raced to her second Paralympic medal, adding to her three individual PT1 world titles between 2014-2016.

"Any time we race against each other I know it's going to be a hard race and today it was no exception,” Gretsch said about Parker. “This course is phenomenal. I gave everything I could today and also the past three years leading into this. That was the best I could do and am just so proud of everything I did to get here.

“To be here in Paris, in the heart of Paris and to have so many fans, but also so much family here, that's the most special part,” she said.

On the winter sports side, Gretsch has won gold medals in both biathlon and cross-country skiing coming at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. She also won three medals (one gold, one silver, one bronze), at the Beijing 2020 Paralympic Winter Games.

Next up for Gretsch will be more winter competitions, along her journey to compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

"I will take a little bit of break after here and then get back into it in November and get ready for Milan,” Gretsch informed.

Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters founder Carson Clough brewed up a silver medal in the men’s paratriathlon PTS4 division. He posted a time of 1:00.47, 1:46 behind French champion Alexis Hanquinquant.

The 30-year-old entrepreneur from Charlotte, North Carolina, has run the successful coffee business out of his home state since 2019.

Clough’s rapid ascent to the silver medal is especially impressive as he only competed in his first triathlon in 2022. Perhaps he’ll celebrate with a few French brewed Café Au Laits?