Elizabeth Baker

Name: Elizabeth Baker
Sport: Paratriathlon
Classification: PTVI
Birthdate: March 19, 1974
Hometown: Roswell, Ga.
Current Residence: Signal Mountain, Tenn.
High School: Roswell High School (Roswell, Ga.)
College: University of Georgia '96; Medical College of Georgia '01 (Masters of Physical Therapy)

Career Highlights
2016 Paralympic Games, 4th 
Seven-time World Paratriathlon Event medalist (2 golds, 5 silvers)
Two-time World Triathlon Para Cup medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)
Three-time CAMTRI/PATCO Paratriathlon American Championships gold medalist (2017, 2018, 2019)
Two-time USA Paratriathlon National Championships medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)
2015 ITU Paratriathlon World Championships Open Division Champion

Personal

At the age of 16, Elizabeth Baker was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration, which led to the loss of her vision. Baker began her triathlon career in 2003. When she competed in her first triathlon, she didn’t want anyone to know she was blind because she was afraid they would not let her race, so she raced without a guide. However, racing without a guide caused her to crash multiple times. After taking a break from triathlon for a couple of years, she came back and completed her first IRONMAN at age 40, winning her division. The proudest moment of her career was representing the U.S. in the debut of paratriathlon at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Baker credits all of her coaches for being her biggest mentors within the sport, and her guide Jillian Elliott for being a great teammate to race with who she can fully trust. She is currently coached by Christine Palmquist, a USA Triathlon Level III Certified Coach. Baker has a Masters of Physical Therapy from Medical College of Georgia and worked as a physical therapist. She is married and has two kids, Andrew and Eliza.

Elite Triathlon Career

2021: Earned an eighth-place finish at the World Triathlon Para Series event in Yokohama, Japan, on May 15 • Took silver at the Americas Triathlon Para Championships in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on June 27

2019: Won the Sarasota-Bradenton CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on March 9 • Finished 5th at the Yokohama ITU World Paratriathlon Series on May 18 • Placed 4th at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Montreal on June 28 • Placed 4th at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sept. 1 • Earned a silver medal at the Banyoles ITU Paratriathlon World Cup on Sept. 8 

2018: Grabbed a silver medal at the CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships Sarasota-Bradenton on March 10 • Earned silver at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Yokohama on May 12 • Collected another silver medal at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Edmonton on July 27 • Placed 5th at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Gold Coast, Australia, on Sept. 15 • Capped her season with a win on Oct. 14 at the Sarasota-Bradenton ITU Paratriathlon World Cup, held in a duathlon format

2017: Won gold medals at ITU World Paratriathlon Series races in Gold Coast, Australia, on April 8, and Edmonton, Alberta, on July 28 • Collected a national title at the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on June 25 • Won the women’s PTVI division at the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on March 11

2016: Took fourth place in the women's PT5 division at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Sept. 11 • Earned silver at the Yokohama ITU World Paratriathlon Event on May 14 • Won gold at the Penrith ITU World Paratriathlon Event on April 24 • Started her season with a win at the Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships on March 13

2015: Won the Open Division at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Chicago on Sept. 15 • Won silver at the Detroit ITU World Paratriathlon Event on Aug. 16 • Was the runner-up at the USA Paratriathlon National Championships on May 25