Pressure off for Andy Lewis in season finale of the Paratriathlon World Cups

by Adam Bailey for the IPC on 06 Oct, 2017 02:03 • Español
Pressure off for Andy Lewis in season finale of the Paratriathlon World Cups

Despite already holding the world, European and Paralympic titles, Great Britain’s Andrew Lewis still wants to finish the season strong at the ITU Sarasota Paratriathlon World Cup on Sunday (8 October) in the USA.

He is coming off a victory in the men’s PTS2 at the Paratriathlon World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in September. But winning back-to-back world titles was unexpected, especially less than three months after sustaining serious injuries in a cycling crash in June.

“Going into the Worlds, I was very nervous. I had to take six weeks off training because of the crash,” Lewis said. “I was doing 45kph downhill when a dog ran across the road and took me out. I badly damaged my shoulder, tore my ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] and had to have 15 stitches in my hip and seven in my knee.” Despite the setback, Lewis retained his PTS2 world title in Rotterdam, finishing more than a minute ahead of the USA’s silver medallist Mark Barr.

“But it all seemed to slot together,” Lewis added. “I was battling on the bike with Mark Barr and Stephane Bahier and really had to make sure I got into transition at the same time or before them to be able to deliver on the run.”

After Rotterdam, Lewis did not take any time off and but is not stressed about Sunday’s race.

“This is a non-pressurised race for me; I’m not really looking for any super results,” Lewis said. “I’m going to try a non-wetsuit swim for the first time, a new bike set-up and a different blade so I’m really using it as a trial.”

Lewis is looking forward to facing new competition in the PTS2 category in Sarasota, with the USA trio of Adam Popp, Allan Armstrong and Maikol Monsalve joining Lewis on the start line. His biggest rival in Barr will not be in Sarasota.

A win on Sunday would top off a strong season for Lewis. His accomplishments in the sport are particularly impressive, considering he did not even know the order of the swim, bike and run legs before taking up the sport four years ago.

“My career so far has been short, but a very steep learning curve,” Lewis said. “I laughed when I was first approached to try triathlon as I didn’t even know what order it happened in. People around me always told me that I had the talent to go far, but I never believed it myself.”

US women set to dominate

US Para triathlete Melissa Stockwell will also compete in an international event for the first time since winning bronze in Rio in the women’s PTS2 category.

In the women’s PTWC event, US 16-year-old Ahalya Lettenberger will look to continue her impressive start to her Paratriathlon career after finishing fourth at the World Championships. Her compatriot, Zach Young will also be aiming for victory on home soil in the men’s race.

In the women’s PTVI event, the USA’s Amy Dixon will be hoping to secure her second World Cup win of the season after winning in Magog, Canada, in July.


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Related Event: 2017 Sarasota ITU Paratriathlon World Cup
08 Oct, 2017 • event pageall results
Results: PTWC Men
1. Benjamin Lenatz H1 GER 00:58:19
2. Alex Welsh H1 AUS 01:00:54
3. Pier Alberto Buccoliero H2 ITA 01:04:07
4. Andrea Meschiari H1 ITA 01:08:33
5. Zach Young H1 USA 01:08:36
Results: PTWC Women
1. Ahalya Lettenberger H2 USA 01:19:15
2. Brenda Osnaya Alvarez H1 MEX 01:19:46
Results: PTS2 Men
1. Andrew Lewis GBR 01:11:50
2. Allan Armstrong USA 01:13:01
3. Adam Popp USA 01:16:08
4. Maikol Monsalve USA 02:03:32
Results: PTS2 Women
1. Yukako Hata JPN 01:33:45
2. Melissa Stockwell USA 01:46:20
Results: PTS4 Men
1. Oliver Dreier AUT 01:05:05
2. Tojo Lazzari IRL 01:06:47
3. Hávard Vatnhamar DEN 01:09:23
4. Gianfilippo Mirabile ITA 01:10:12
5. Shingo Kuboyama JPN 01:14:31
Results: PTS4 Women
1. Andrea Walton USA 01:26:28
Results: PTS5 Men
1. José Abraham Estrada Sierra MEX 01:05:55
2. Aidan McGlynn IRL 01:08:39
3. Pablo Pomata ARG 01:12:11
Results: PTS5 Women
1. Ruth-Ann Reeves USA 01:22:44
Results: PTVI Men
1. Charles Edouard Catherine B1 FRA 01:11:00
2. David Rangel Uzcategui B3 VEN 01:14:09
3. Brandon Adame B1 USA 01:20:13
DSQ. Juan Carlos Villarroel B1 CHI DSQ
Results: PTVI Women
1. Amy Dixon B3 USA 01:20:44
2. Ashley Eisenmenger B2 USA 01:26:01
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