Chris Hammer

Name: Chris Hammer
Sport: Paratriathlon
Classification: PTS5
Height: 5'10"
Birthdate: March 30, 1986
Birthplace: Mt. Clemens, Mich.
Hometown: Troy, Mich.
Current Residence: Gilbert, Ariz.
High School: Troy Athens High School (Troy, Mich.)
College: Grand Valley State University (undergrad), Eastern Washington
University (graduate), University of Utah (graduate, Ph.D.) 

Career Highlights

2024 Paris Paralympic Gold, Men's PTS5 Race

2021 World Triathlon Para Champion
2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, 4th (Paratriathlon)
2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, 4th (Paratriathlon)
Four-time World Paratriathlon Championships bronze medalist (2014, 2017, 2019, 2022)
14-time World Paratriathlon Event medalist (6 golds, 5 silvers, 1 bronze)
Three-time Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Champion (2016, 2017, 2018)
Four-time USA Paratriathlon National Champion (2013, 2014, 2017, 2022)
2012 Paralympic Games, Track & Field: 9th (1,500m), 10th (Marathon)
2011 IPC Athletics World Champion (1,500m)
2011 Parapan American Games, 5th (Marathon)
2007 NCAA Division II Cross Country All-American
Four-Time NCAA Division II Track All-American (2006-09)
Four-Time NCAA Division II Academic All-American (2006-09)

Personal

Chris Hammer was born with one hand, the result of a congenital condition. He grew up playing multiple sports such as baseball and ice hockey and as he got older, he found an interest in distance running. Hammer went on to run collegiately for Grand Valley State University in Michigan. While in college he joined the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Team. Hammer was able to qualify for the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the 1,500-meters and the marathon. In 2013, he decided to try triathlon. Despite not having any swimming or bike training, he felt his long-distance running background would be well suited for triathlon. Since his debut at the elite level, he has collected 14 World Triathlon Para Series medals, four World Championship podiums and  national titles. He competed in paratriathlon's debut at the Rio 2016 Games, placing fourth. He also raced in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, where he again finished fourth. He then went on to win the 2021 World Triathlon Para Championship in Abu Dhabi. In 2022, Hammer became the first paratriathlete to race competitively in the pro field at a 70.3 IRONMAN event.
For two seasons, Hammer coached the varsity women’s triathlon team at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. Hammer has a master’s degree in Sports Administration from Eastern Washington University and a PhD in Sports Psychology from the University of Utah. In January 2022, Hammer moved with his family from West Virginia to Arizona to train with USA Triathlon’s elite training squad, Project Podium. He says he has no superstitions because his sports psychology education keeps him from having any. His name is on the wall of fame in a bar in Michigan for eating 12 chili dogs in one sitting. He is married and has two daughters.

Elite Triathlon Career

2024: 2024 Americas Triathlon Para Championships Miami, 2nd place • 2024 World Triathlon Para Series Yokohama, 1st place • 2024 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea, 4th place • 2024 World Triathlon Para Series Montreal, 1st place • Earned his first Paralympic medal, a gold, in the men's PTS5 race. Finished his season at the Para World Championships in Torremolinos and placed fourth.

2023: 2023 Americas Triathlon Para Championships Sarasota, 3rd place • 2023 World Triathlon Para Series Montreal, 2nd place • 2024 World Triathlon Para Cup Long Beach, 1st place • 2023 World Triathlon Para Cup Paris, 1st place • 2023 World Triathlon Para Championships Pontevedra, 3rd place individual, 8th place Mixed Relay.

2022: Earned the silver medal at the 2022 Americas Triathlon Para Championships Sarasota-Bradenton in Florida on March 13 • Started his World Triathlon Para Series season in Montreal, Canada and earned the silver medal on July 8 • Earned his fourth-career USA Paratriathlon National Championship Title, winning in Long Beach, Calif. on July 17 • Placed third overall in Abu Dhabi on November 24 at the World Triathlon Paratriathlon World Championships • Alongside fellow paratriathlon national team members, Kendall Gretsch, Hailey Danz and Owen Cravens, earned the silver medal in the inaugural exhibition event for Paratriathlon Mixed Relay. 

2021: Took the win at the AJ Bell World Triathlon Para Series Leeds on June 5 • Earned a silver medal at the Americas Triathlon Para Championships in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on June 27 • Placed fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games on August 29 • Won the 2021 World Triathlon Para Championship in Abu Dhabi on November 5
2019: Earned bronze at the Sarasota-Bradenton CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on March 9 • Earned silver at the Yokohama ITU World Paratriathlon Series on May 18 • Finished 6th at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Montreal on June 28 • Won the Magog ITU Paratriathlon World Cup on July 13 • Earned a bronze medal at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sept. 1   
2018: Earned a 1st place finish at the CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships Sarasota-Bradenton on March 10 • Earned a 3rd place finish at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Yokohama on May 12 • Placed 4th at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Iseo-Franciacorta on June 30 • Finished 7th at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Gold Coast, Australia, on Sept. 15
2017: Earned a bronze medal at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Sept. 14 • Won a national title at the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on June 25 • Earned back-to-back ITU World Paratriathlon Series wins in Gold Coast, Australia (April 8), and Yokohama, Japan (May 13) • Won the men’s PTS5 title at the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on March 11
2016: Placed fourth at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Sept. 10 • Finished sixth at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on July 23 • Won the Strathclyde ITU World Paratriathlon Event on June 5 • Kicked off his season with a victory at the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on March 13
2015: Ended his season with an 11th-place effort at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Chicago on Sept. 15 • Finished second at the Edmonton ITU World Paratriathlon Event on Sept. 5 • Claimed the win at the Detroit ITU World Paratriathlon Event on Aug. 16 • Finished fourth at the Rio de Janeiro ITU World Paratriathlon Event on Aug. 1 to provisionally qualify for the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team • Won the silver medal at the Monterrey CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on May 1
2014: Closed out the season with his second straight USA Paratriathlon National Championships title on Sept. 20 • Finished third for the bronze medal at the 2014 ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, on Aug. 29 • Strung together a series of silver-medal-winning performances at international events, including the Magog (July 19) and Chicago (June 28) ITU World Paratriathlon Events and the CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships in Dallas, Texas (May 31)
2013: Made his debut at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in London on Sept. 11, finishing seventh • Finished second at the Edmonton ITU World Paratriathlon Event on June 22 • Won his first career USA Paratriathlon National Championships title in Austin, Texas, on Memorial Day (May 27) • Won his first international paratriathlon event in San Diego, California, on April 20