Lauren Steadman defends World Paratriathlon Championship Gold

One Gold, one Silver and two Bronze from Great Britain team in highly competitive World Paratriathlon Championships 2015.

358 days. That is all that is left until the debut or Paratriathlon in the Paralympic Games in Rio next Summer - and judging by today's racing in Chicago, medals are going to be very difficult to earn. Once the dominant nation in Paratriathlon competition - including eight medals in 2014 - the British team are now being challenged strongly from the likes of Australia, USA, France, Spain and The Netherlands among others.

World Champion in Edmonton last year, Lauren Steadman lead from the front once again - first out of the water, she was never headed and also had the fastest bike split too. She has now won European and World Championship titles in both 2014 and 2015 and looks set to head to Rio as the outstanding favourite in the Women's PT4 category. Four-time World Champion Faye McClelland was fourth today behind Grace Norman (USA) and Kate Doughty (AUS).

Great Britain's other defending World Champion, Alison Patrick (PT5), took the Silver medal this time around as Australia's Katie Kelly was able to gain a minute on the bike leg, before Alison's charge on the run to close the gap cam up 29 seconds short. Katie's guide is former ITU and Ironman World Champion Michellie Jones.

Ryan Taylor (PT2) and Lizzie Tench (PT1), both with Bronze, completed the British haul of four medals in Chicago this morning.

ITU Elite Paratriathlon World Championships, Chicago - Friday 18th September 2015
750m / 20km / 5k

ELITE MEN

ELITE WOMEN

(** represents Paratriathlon categories which will be included in the programme of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games).