This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 21st, 2014at 11:53 am by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Chris’ Fight To Defend His World ParaTriathlon Championship Title

Active Nation Supporter Chris Goodwin has just kick-started the defence of his ITU ParaTriathlon World Championship title in Japan.

Last weekend the blind 43-year-old competed in the Yokohama ParaTriathlon in the PT5 category.

Triathlon is the only sport where para-athletes compete at the same meets as elite athletes, so Chris often competes just hours before the Brownlee brothers – Jonny and Alistair – take to the course.

Chris has a degenerative disorder called RP (retinitis pigmentosa). He had good sight as a child, started losing it as a teenager, went visually impaired in his early 20s and was classified blind in his mid 30s.

As a blind triathlete, Chris swims 750m whilst tethered to his guide Ben Matthews, they then cycle a tandem for 20km and finish again tethered for the run of 5km. Last year the pair competed and won the world title. Unfortunately, they were disqualified in Yokohama after failing to follow the correct route on the run.

Chris is part of the 2014 UK Sport Lottery Funded British ParaTriathlon squad and does a lot of his training for the swim at Active Nation’s The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex in Southampton and uses the treadmills at our Bitterne Leisure Centre for the run. He has to fit his training in around his job at a project manager in the IT services department at Hampshire County Council.

He said: “I think the hardest part of being a disabled athlete, and possibly this is more appropriate for some types of disability than others, is the difficulty in organising training. When I compete I have a guide, but a guide is not available when I need to train.”

In the run up to the London 2012 Games Chris was invited to carry the Olympic Torch for a leg of the relay as it travelled around the country. As ParaTriathlon was not included in the Games this allowed him to still play a role in the build-up and live the Olympic dream.

Chris said: “I’ve always kept myself fit from the time my father started me on swimming lessons at the age of 7, to doing my first half marathon in my early 20s. My wife Sarah and I used to go cycling on a tandem. So join the three up and you get a triathlon.”

Chris and Sarah have two children who are both sporty, good runners and competing at a national level in gymnastics. Beth is an acrobatic gymnast and will be competing in the national finals with her partner on June 1st, while Charlie is a tumbler and came 4th in a national elite competition last weekend.

Chris added: “By telling my story at local schools and on blogs I have inspired others to realise the potential in themselves, and take on the challenges that sport presents.

“My message to others is simple – just give it a try. Anyone can do something to improve their fitness.”

The Triathlon World Series comes to London on May 31st – when Chris and Ben will have another go at defending the title in Hyde Park.