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USA TRI Elite Paratriathletes Win 8 Medals at 2026 World Triathlon Para Championships

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by Kennedy Terry

PONTEVEDRA, Spain - U.S. Elite Paratriathletes Grace Norman, Chris Hammer, and Hailey Danz won world titles at the 2026 World Triathlon Para Championships on Friday, Sept. 25 in Pontevedra, Spain, leading an incredible Team USA showing of eight medals. 

Joining Hammer, Norman, and Danz with World Championship medals: 

  • Mohamed Lahna – silver in PTS2
  • Kendall Gretsch – silver in PTWC
  • Emi Perry – bronze in PTWC
  • Kelly Elminger – bronze in PTS4
  • Kassandra Case – bronze in PTS3

Norman cruised to gold in the PTS5 category to defend her 2025 world title, earning her seventh career world title and becoming the most decorated PTS5 female paratriathlete of all time. The Paris 2024 Paralympic gold medalist completed the sprint-distance course (750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5k run) in a time of 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 19 seconds, over a minute ahead of the next competitor. 

Fellow 2024 Paralympic gold medalist, Hammer successfully defended his 2025 world title. Hammer, who was tenth out of the water, had an incredible bike leg, to move up to second. On the first lap of the run, he moved into first place to cruise to victory in 1:00:29. 

“The last eight weeks, I was throwing everything I had at training just to see if I could repeat because in Hamburg I was not nearly where I needed to be, so to bounce back in the last few months was a good feeling,” said Hammer, post-race. 

Danz, who placed second at the 2025 World Triathlon Para Championships, returned to the top of the podium with a dominant performance in the PTS2 category. She held the lead from start to finish, crossing the finish line in a time of 1:19:37. 

After starting more than two minutes behind her competitors in the PTWC category, Kendall Gretsch battled her way to silver, finishing just over one minute behind the gold medalist. Emi Perry also earned a spot on the podium with bronze, marking her second World Championship medal after taking silver in 2025. 

Mohamed Lahna improved from his 2025 bronze-medal performance in the PTS2 category, earning silver to secure his second consecutive World Championship medal. 

Kelly Elmlinger added another medal to her career with bronze in the PTS4 category, marking her fifth World Championship medal. 

Kassandra Case’s bronze medal in the PTS3 category marked her first World Championship medal, capping an incredible first elite paratriathlon season. Case first entered USA Triathlon’s development pipeline through the Paratriathlon Virtual Combine, where athletes can submit swim and run times for consideration for a Paratriathlon Development Camp. After earning an invitation to her first USA Paratriathlon Talent ID Camp in summer 2025, Case made her international debut just one year later and has already collected three World Triathlon podium finishes, including her World Championship bronze. 

Her rapid rise through the Elite Development Pathway highlights the role of USA Triathlon’s talent identification and development programs in helping athletes find their path to elite competition. The Paratriathlon Elite Development Pathway is supported by the USA Triathlon Foundation. If you’re interested in supporting elite paratriathlon and Elevate28, visit the USA Triathlon Foundation website to get involved. 

UP NEXT  

Elite Women race on Saturday, Sept. 26, for the World Championship Grand Finals. Watch the action on Triathlon Live. Buy your pass here to subscribe. 

Saturday, Sept. 26   

Elite Women: Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT (6 p.m. local time)   

Sunday, Sept. 27   

Paratriathlon Mixed Relay: 3 a.m. ET / Midnight PT (9 a.m. local time)   

Junior/U23 Mixed Relay: 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT (11 a.m. local time)   

Elite Men: Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT (6 p.m. local time) 

2026 World Triathlon Para World Championship  

Pontevedra, Spain | Sept. 25, 2026 

Complete Results 

Men’s PTVI 

1. Dave Ellis (GBR), 1:00:37 

2. Lazar Filipovic (SRB), 1:00:56 

3. Antoine Perel (FRA), 1:01:13 

U.S. Finishers 

7. Owen Cravens (Algonquin, Ill.), 1:03:02 

 

Men’s PTWC 

1. Thomas Fruehwirth (AUT), 1:02:33 

2. Florian Brungraber (AUT), 1:03:28 

3. Joseph Fritsch (FRA), 1:04:36 

U.S. Finishers 

6. Howie Sanborn (Albuquerque, N.M.), 1:06:45 

9. Justin Pines (Lafayette, Calif.), 1:15:18 

 

Men’s PTS2 

1. Jules Ribstein (FRA), 1:12:27 

2. Mohamed Lahna (Hayward, Calif.), 1:12:41 

3. Wim De Paepe (BEL), 1:13:14 

U.S. Finishers 

6. Kyle Stepp (Albuquerque, N.M.), 1:17:41 

 

Men’s PTS3 

1. Henry Urand (GBR), 1:07:17 

2. Daniel Molina (ESP), 1:09:11 

3. Stylianos Malakopoulos (GRE), 1:10:13 

U.S. Finishers 

7. Zachary Osborne (Clermont, Fla.), 1:15:05 

8. Lucas Jundt (Grafton, Wis.), 1:15:36 

 

Men’s PTS4 

1. Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA), 00:59:54 

2. Nil Riudavets Victory (ESP), 1:00:13 

3. Pierre-Antoine Baele (FRA), 1:00:17 

U.S. Finishers 

6. Carson Clough (Charlotte, N.C.) 

 

Men’s PTS5 

1. Chris Hammer (Gilbert, Ariz.), 1:00:06 

2. Martin Schulz (GER), 1:00:22 

3. Filipe Marques (POR), 1:00:26 

 

Women’s PTVI 

1. Susana Rodriguez (ESP), 1:06:37 

2. Francesca Tarantello (ITA), 1:08:30 

3. Anja Renner (GER), 1:09:44 

U.S. Finishers 

11. McClain Hermes (Gainesville, Ga.), 1:22:08 

 

Women’s PTWC 

1. Lauren Parker (AUS), 1:10:13 

2. Kendall Gretsch (USA), 1:11:18 

3. Emi Perry (USA), 1:11:25 

 

Women’s PTS2 

1. Hailey Danz (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 1:19:37 

2. Anu Francis (AUS), 1:22:07 

3. Asumi Yasuda (JPN), 1:23:45 

 

Women’s PTS3 

1. Serena Banzato (ITA), 1:21:30 

2. Elise Marc (FRA), 1:23:47 

3. Kassandra Case (Knoxville, Tenn.), 1:25:42 

 

Women’s PTS4 

1. Camille Seneclauze (FRA), 1:15:34 

2. Zoé Reveillon (FRA), 1:18:04 

3. Kelly Elminger (San Antonio, Texas), 1:19:27 

U.S. Finishers 

4. Danielle Cummings (Albuquerque, N.M.), 1:19:58 

 

Women’s PTS5 

1. Grace Norman (Bloomington, Ind.), 1:08:19 

2. Erica Da Rosa Rodrigues (BRA), 1:10:00 

3. Lauren Steadman (GBR), 1:10:29 

U.S. Finishers 

7. Virginia Ogburn (Charlotte, N.C.), 1:14:42 

About USA Triathlon 

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). 

About the USA Triathlon Foundation  

The USA Triathlon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the charitable arm of USA Triathlon. With its mission to transform lives through sport by providing opportunities to swim, bike and run, the Foundation serves to generate a greater impact on the multisport community through charitable giveback and grants that advance the Foundation’s three pillars: (1) Encourage youth participation; (2) Inspire Pathways to Access and Inclusion; and (3) Ignite Olympic/Paralympic dreams. Since the Foundation was established in 2014, it has impacted the lives of thousands by providing grants to organizations and individuals in pursuit of its mission and pillars to create a healthier United States through triathlon. To learn more about the Foundation and get involved, please visit usatriathlonfoundation.org.