ISLE of Wight para-triathlete, Laura Curwood, more than demonstrated her desire to push the boundaries of her physical capabilities by winning her first-ever para-super sprint event.
In her race, the super sprint para, at the Arctic One Tri and Para Tri Festival in Dorney Lake, Eton, the Wight Tri athlete won in the T1 category and was second overall in 50mins 50secs — more than 12 minutes ahead of her nearest challenger.
Laura Curwood excelled in the Arctic One Tri and Para Tri Festival’s super sprint para race for women, at Dorney Lake, Eton.
Laura, paralysed from the chest down following an adverse reaction to a travel vaccination, excelled in the 400m swim, exiting the pool in first place with a time of 7.28.
After a swift turnaround, Laura took off on the two-lap 10km cycle circuit, which she led for the first 1.5 laps — completing it in 27.11.
Laura, 23, of Apse Heath, then went on to complete the 2.5km run in an excellent 12.49.
Wight Tri’s Laura Curwood with her T1 winner’s medal.
Delighted with the victory, she said: “It’s such a momentous privilege to represent the Island in this way and, after more than a year’s worth of training and pushing my body to the absolute limit.
“I can officially say I am now the Island’s first ever para-triathlete.
“I am beyond proud of this achievement. To have actually won the event when there are so many talented athletes to compete with, is simply astonishing.
“There was such an array of disabilities and abilities at the festival, from amputees and the visually-impaired, to beginners and Paralympic royalty.
“To create an event exclusive to para-triathletes here on the Island is my ultimate dream and, after after winning, it seems to much more achievable.”
Laura, who also does wheelchair racing, won in her first official race, the one-miler at the Great South Run in October last year, with a new personal best time of 6mins 58secs.
To add to her achievements, Laura also won the IW High Sheriff’s Award for Outstanding Achievement at the IW Sports Achievements Awards 2018, which she describes as the most awesome moment of her life.
“I aim to make disability sport more well-known and widespread on the Island and ultimately create an ongoing event exclusively for wheelchair-bound athletes,” added Laura.
Laura will return to Dorney Lake, the top Olympics 2012 water sports venue, on July 28 to take part in the para super sprint event in the Summer Tri and Para Tri Festival.
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