WA para-triathlete Sally Pilbeam has earned a silver medal at the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Rotterdam.
Competing at her fifth World Championships, the Edgewater mother of two secured a silver medal for the second consecutive year, having previously won world championship titles in 2014 and 2015.
In a fantastic race, Pilbeam clocked 1:18.50hr for the swim, bike, run to finish just half a minute shy of world champion Tani Mami of Japan.
Pilbeam lost her right arm to synovial sarcoma – a very rare but fast spreading cancer – when she was in her third year of university.
Having completed her studies and commenced work as a school teacher, Pilbeam had two children with husband Matt before catching the sport bug again which would lead to her excelling in the dynamic sport of para-triathlon.
Unfortunately for Pilbeam, the PTS4 classification she competes in was not included in the Rio Paralympic program roster in 2016 – as the sport made its debut at Paralympic level. Undeterred however, she kept herself in peak race condition and collected an incredible fourth consecutive podium finish at world championship level.
In the men’s PTS2 classification, WA Paralympian Brant Garvey improved on his 10th placed effort in Rio, to finish eighth in the Rotterdam final in a time of 1:17.28.
In the men’s elite triathlon, Bunbury raised Olympian Ryan Bailie collected an 18th position finish, whilst WA sisters Jaz Hedgeland (22nd in the U23) and Kira Hedgeland (10th in women’s junior) were both in action across a busy weekend of competition.
