Road to Tokyo

Dave Ellis is a British Paratriathlete in the PTVI category, which is contested between athletes who are partially sighted or blind. As such Dave competes in all races with a guide, who must accompany Dave throughout all 3 disciplines of the event. Dave and his guide swim together tethered with a leash, before heading onto a tandem for the bike leg. Finally they run together, with a small cord to keep the athletes close and to help with directions.
Dave Ellis is a British Paratriathlete in the PTVI category, which is contested between athletes who are partially sighted or blind. As such Dave competes in all races with a guide, who must accompany Dave throughout all 3 disciplines of the event. Dave and his guide swim together tethered with a leash, before heading onto a tandem for the bike leg. Finally they run together, with a small cord to keep the athletes close and to help with directions.

Dave is a previous World Champion, European Champion and British Champion in his paratriathlon category, with his sights firmly set on competing at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020. The 2019 season is a crucial one for qualification, and Dave will need to be on his best form in order to gain selection for this prestigious event.

To support Dave in crucial selection races this year, he will be guided by Tim Don. Tim is taking time out of his own busy racing schedule to assist Dave in two vital races – the British Paratriathlon Championships and the Tokyo test event in August. The main aim for the season is to steer Dave to Paralympic selection in 2019.

Zone3 caught up with Dave and Tim before the British Paratriathlon Championships, hear what they had to say about the event and the season ahead.

Dave is a previous World Champion, European Champion and British Champion in his paratriathlon category, with his sights firmly set on competing at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020. The 2019 season is a crucial one for qualification, and Dave will need to be on his best form in order to gain selection for this prestigious event.

To support Dave in crucial selection races this year, he will be guided by Tim Don. Tim is taking time out of his own busy racing schedule to assist Dave in two vital races – the British Paratriathlon Championships and the Tokyo test event in August. The main aim for the season is to steer Dave to Paralympic selection in 2019.

Zone3 caught up with Dave and Tim before the British Paratriathlon Championships, hear what they had to say about the event and the season ahead.

For Dave, the key remaining races of 2019 will be the Tokyo ITU Paratriathlon World Cup and the ITU Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne. With podiums at both of these events, qualification for the Tokyo Paralympics is practically guaranteed.

For Dave, the key remaining races of 2019 will be the Tokyo ITU Paratriathlon World Cup and the ITU Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne. With podiums at both of these events, qualification for the Tokyo Paralympics is practically guaranteed.

Although this is not the first time that paratriathlon has been involved in the Paralympic games (it was first featured in 2016), Dave Ellis was heartbroken to find that his category would not be involved last time around. From going through elation to discover that paratriathlon would be included, this quickly turned to anguish when Dave learned that he wouldn’t be able to compete. This frustration led to Dave changing sports, to focus purely on running for a few years, before reintroducing swimming and cycling once his category was confirmed for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The 2019 season got off to a great start, with the British Championships event at Eton Dorney. Although this was Dave and Tim’s first time racing together, they managed to get through the event without too much stress and were pleased to take the finishing tape first and take the National titles once more. “When you’re an old man and can tell your kids that you’ve been a British Champion, it’s definitely got a nice ring to it.”

Although this is not the first time that paratriathlon has been involved in the Paralympic games (it was first featured in 2016), Dave Ellis was heartbroken to find that his category would not be involved last time around. From going through elation to discover that paratriathlon would be included, this quickly turned to anguish when Dave learned that he wouldn’t be able to compete. This frustration led to Dave changing sports, to focus purely on running for a few years, before reintroducing swimming and cycling once his category was confirmed for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The 2019 season got off to a great start, with the British Championships event at Eton Dorney. Although this was Dave and Tim’s first time racing together, they managed to get through the event without too much stress and were pleased to take the finishing tape first and take the National titles once more. “When you’re an old man and can tell your kids that you’ve been a British Champion, it’s definitely got a nice ring to it.”


Dave's Tokyo Kit Essentials

Dave's Tokyo Kit Essentials