U.S. Elite Paratriathletes Win Six Medals at World Triathlon Para Series Yokohama

YOKOHAMA, Japan —  U.S. elite paratriathletes Mark Barr (Davis, Calif.), Hailey Danz (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Kelly Elmlinger (San Antonio, Texas) and Chris Hammer (Gilbert, Ariz.) won their respective paratriathlon classifications on Saturday, May 11 in Yokohama, Japan, tallying four of the six total medals earned by U.S. elite paratriathletes at the 2024 World Triathlon Para Series Yokohama. 

Hammer completed the sprint-distance triathlon course in 56 minutes, 25 seconds to win the men’s PTS5 title. The three-time Paralympian staged a furious comeback after being behind the leaders by more than 1 minute out of the swim, taking the lead on the final lap of the run by running the day’s fastest 5k in a time of 15:30. 

“It was a little nerve-wracking for a while. I didn’t even know if I would end up on the podium, so yeah I’m happy with the result,” said Hammer who is attempting to race at his fourth Paralympic Games this September in Paris. “It’s a good feeling. I’m 38-years-old, I don’t know how many more opportunities I have to do this, so I’m soaking it all in. I was just smiling out there going like ‘This is a blast and I love doing this.’” 

A three-time Paralympian in paratriathlon and para swimming, Barr won the PTS2 men’s race with a time of 1:06:26. Barr represented the U.S. at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. A swimmer for NCAA Division I California Polytechnic State University, Barr was introduced to triathlon through the Challenged Athletes Foundation, racing at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, where he placed fourth. He is qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, having punched his ticket to Paris this March at the 2024 Americas Paratriathlon Championships Miami. 

Fellow Paris 2024 Paralympic Games qualifiers Danz and Elmlinger won gold in their respective PTS2 and PTS4 classifications. A two-time Paralympic silver medalist, Danz won by more than 1 minute on Saturday, while Elmlinger cruised to victory with a 2-minute margin. A Tokyo 2020 Paralympian, Elmlinger will race in her second Paralympic Games this September in Paris. 

Owen Cravens (Algonquin, Ill.) earned bronze on Saturday in the men’s PTVI classification. Guided by professional triathlete Ben Hoffman, Cravens finished in a time of 54:56. Cravens is a member of USA Triathlon's development squad, Project Podium, which trains together in a group environment in Tempe, Arizona. Cravens and Hammer (Gilbert, Ariz.) are Project Podium’s first two paratriathlete members. He qualified for Paris 2024 — his first Paralympic Games — this March in Miami. 

New elite paratriathlete Rachel Watts (St. Joseph, Mo.) placed second in the women’s PTS3 race.

Athletes who have not already qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games earned important rankings points in Yokohama on Saturday.  

Ten U.S. elite paratriathletes have already qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, including Barr, Cravens, Danz, Elmlinger, Carson Clough, Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill.), Mohamed Lahna (Elk Grove, Calif.), Grace Norman (Bloomington, Ind.), Howie Sanborn (Denver, Colo.) and Melissa Stockwell (Colorado Springs, Colo.). 

The rest of the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team will be selected and named later this summer. For more information about the qualification and selection procedures for the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team, please read here.  

The broadcast of the race in Yokohama can be watched on demand on TriathlonLIVE.tv.