Cashmore revels in home support at World Triathlon Para Series Swansea

By Will Castle

Claire Cashmore felt the force of the Swansea faithful as she cruised to gold in the PTS5 women’s race at the 2024 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea.

Cashmore looked untouchable on the SA1 Waterfront, with particularly dominant showings in the water and on the bike to cross the line nearly two minutes ahead of second place.

Ahead of what would be her sixth Paralympics at Paris 2024, the win acts as a major confidence booster going into the summer, rising to the occasion in the penultimate race of the Paris qualification window.

And the Redditch athlete hopes that a strong British contingent follows her across the Channel in support, citing the electric atmosphere in Swansea as integral to her success on Saturday.

“At each little bit of the course there were different people cheering you on and that just made such a difference,” Cashmore said.

“Swansea really did put on a good show and the crowd were brilliant, so that really, really helped.

“I really thrive off people being there and people cheering you on. Particularly coming from the pool where you're in a quite closed environment, where all you hear is just that real noise. I love that.

“I can't wait to have those huge crowds, hopefully in Paris.”

Cashmore was the first of the PTS5 athletes to cross the line on a bumper day of action in Wales, with the British Triathlon Paratri Super Series racing taking place ahead of the elite racing for developing paratriathletes.

While the Tokyo bronze medallist made it look easy on the day, she is refusing to get complacent ahead of the Paralympics, recognising the danger US superstar Grace Norman poses to her podium ambitions.

“There's lots of work still to be done,” she added. “Grace is an absolutely phenomenal runner, biker and swimmer, so there's lots to be done.

“There’ll be no resting on my laurels, so it’ll be back to business and back to the drawing board.”

An event that kept sustainability at the heart - achieving Gold in World Triathlon’s Sustainability Certification - there was a lot happening around the racing, with the event village and Marina Market bustling with enthusiastic spectators.

For Cashmore, the buzz around elite sport never ceases to excite her - and even after 20 years of competition, she can’t yet see herself hanging up her trisuit.

“I love it, I just love it,” she said. “What better job could you have than to be an elite athlete?

“It's a privilege and I love what I do, and I think until I stop loving it and as long I’m good enough, I'll keep carrying on.”

World Triathlon Para Series Swansea welcomed some of the best paratriathletes in the world to swim, bike, run in South Wales.
To start your journey in paratriathlon and find out more about the sport, visit https://www.britishtriathlon.org/paratriathlontalentid.