Australia’s female Para Triathletes have dominated the World Para Triathlon Series (WPTS) in Montreal, Canada, overnight, with two golds and bronze medals. 

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Lauren Parker in the PTWC, and Anu Francis in the PTS2, both won gold medals to maintain their number one world ranking, with Sally Pilbeam taking home bronze in the PTS4.

The WPTS race in Montreal was the last major international competition for many of the athletes ahead of the 2025 World Triathlon Championships Finals that will be held in Wollongong, New South Wales from 15-19 October. 

For Parker, a four time World Triathlon PTWC Champion and dual Paralympic Triathlon medalist, this marks her third gold medal this WPTS season.

“It’s a very fast course. I love swimming in the regatta centre here, and on the Formula 1 course on the bike, you just can’t get any better,” said Parker. “I felt really good right from the start, I got a really good lead out on the bike and I just felt really strong out there.  I had no idea how much of a lead I had so I just went as hard as I could.”

“I’ve won here [Montreal] many times, so it’s great to bring home another win,” she said. 

Francis has maintained her number one ranking, also winning her third gold medal in the WTPS this season. 

The first female PTS2 athlete to represent Australia at a Paralympics in Paris 24, Francis relished competing in Montreal for the first time. 

“The run was a bit brutal, it got pretty hot towards the end, but it’s a pretty course out there… it’s definitely one of my favourite courses so far.  This is my first time in Montreal and I’m really loving it,” said Francis.

The 29-year-old said despite her strong results recently, there are still areas of her race plan she’s focused on improving: “I’ve been working really hard on my swim. I only learnt to swim four and half years ago when I came into the sport and I started out getting out of the water [in races] a few minutes behind everyone else.”

“But here I managed to stay with the front pack most of the way… and I was stoked to see most of the girls as I was getting out of the water. Heading out on the bike when there was only one person ahead of me, it’s something I haven’t experienced before, in such a big field,” she said. “This has been a really good hit out ahead of the World Championships in Wollongong back in Australia.”

Two-time World Para Triathlon Championship medalist Sally Pilbeam won the bronze medal in the PTS4, returning for her first WTPS race since winning bronze at last year’s World Championships in Torremolinos.

Pilbeam, together with the rest of the Australian squad, have been in Canada for the past two weeks preparing, also taking part in the World Triathlon Para Cup in Magog, Quebec a week ago.

“I’ve had a bit of a delayed start to the season, I took a bit of a break after Paris. It’s been nice to have a bit of time to prepare here in Canada, it’s a long way to travel, so to have the two races and have a bit more time here to prepare for this race is really great.”

“From here, I’ll now go back home, we’ll sit down with my coach and the team at WAIS, and work out the training plan and I really focus on getting in some good training so I can solidify the results come Wollongong,” she said. 

For 17-year-old Matthew Engesser, he delivered a strong performance in the men’s PTS4, narrowly missing the podium to finish in fourth place.  Fellow Aussie David Bryant was also just shy of a podium result, finishing fifth in the PTS5. 

The event is the last major international competition ahead of the 2025 World Triathlon Championships Finals that will be held Wollongong from 15-19 October is proudly supported by the NSW Government and the City of Wollongong, click here.

Aus Triathlon

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