WA had three representatives in action at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne, Switzerland recently.
Rio Olympian Ryan Bailie tackled the elite men’s course, whilst Sally Pilbeam and David Bryant were in action in the women’s and men’s para-triathlon events respectively.
Bailie has finished the season strongly after a quiet start and took 18th place overall in Switzerland in a race won by Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt.
South African born, Bunbury raised Bailie was in the leading third coming out of the water but lost touch with the top 10 over the bike and run legs.
With 87 career ITU events completed, which includes six podium finishes and a race win, Bailie will be hoping to continue building his form into the next World Cup event later this month in China as he keeps alive the dream of a second Olympic campaign for Australia.
The remarkable triathlon journey for mother of two Sally Pilbeam continued in Lausanne with the cancer survivor and former world champion taking fourth place in the PTS4 race.
Pilbeam had the disappointment of seeing her disability category overlooked at the Rio Games in 2016 when the sport of para-triathlon made its Paralympic competition debut.
When it was once again snubbed for Tokyo, Pilbeam took her own decisive action and moved up into a harder category, where she now competes against athletes with a lower level of physical disability as she chases her Paralympic aspirations.
She earlier this year landed a coveted Venues West Brand Ambassador position which is providing financial assistance in support of her sporting goals.
In finishing top five at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final – Pilbeam has shown she has more than enough in the tank to take on the challenge.
David Bryant enjoyed another steady international hitout in the men’s PTS5 class, finishing eighth in a field of 15 athletes.
With just four completed para-triathlons to his name, Bryant can justifiably hold the view he has plenty of future scope for improvement ahead, in his bid for a maiden Australian Paralympic Team berth in 2020.
