Hannah Moore - the history maker?

How Hannah’s hoping to make history at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics…

BRITAIN’S para-triathletes will head intonext year’s Paralympic Games with high hopes of medals across the eight races. But the greatest achievement of all could come from Hannah Moore.

Having completed her first triathlon in 2017, the 22-year-old has progressed rapidly to elite status, claiming the PTS4 European and World titles last year and starting 2019 with World Series victories in Milan and Montreal.

That represents an incredible rise to the top of her sport and would see Hannah as the hot favourite for Paralympic glory in her class in little more than a year’s time.

Unfortunately for the Loughborough University student, the Toyko para-triathlon schedule doesn’t include a PTS4 women’s event.

Undeterred, Hannah has set her sights on qualifying for, and competing in, the PTS5 race – and making history. “Paralympic qualification opened at the end of June and Montreal was the first World Series race within that period,” she told Agility after her victory in Canada equated to a fifth-place finish in the class above.

“It’s obviously a tall order to try and be competitive when you’re classed as being less able than someone else but I think it’s so cool to have that opportunity to try and get there.

“It’s something that no one has ever done and it’s never been possible before – to race up a category – so to get to this point where it’s a real possibility of being one of the first people to do it is amazing. That’s something that keeps me motivated. Now, it’s all about being competitive in that category.

“The work we’ve done over the winter to make that possible was evident in Milan when I finished six or seven minutes ahead of people who were only a minute or so behind me last year, and effectively finished second in the category above. That was what we were aiming for, so to have achieved that so early in the season was really exciting for me.”

Hannah’s achievement would be all the more impressive given her dislike for running as a youngster. “I did karate when I was a kid and had a black belt but never really did anything else,” she explained.

“In fact, I absolutely hated running at school and would do pretty much anything to avoid it! “I enjoy running now and appreciate it so much more because it’s something I thought I may never be able to do again.”

She continued: “Before I had my leg amputated in 2016 (after suffering with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome for four years), I used to do some wheelchair racing and met people who did triathlons. But I couldn’t swim because I had open wounds in my foot. It was always something I liked the idea of but it wasn’t possible at the time.

“I chose to have my leg amputated and decided that once my recovery was complete that I was going to give triathlon a go. I did my first triathlon in May 2017 which was a Super Sprint race at the Arctic One Foundation event. I really enjoyed it and have somehow ended up where I am now!”

No longer the new face on the para-triathlon scene, Hannah is thriving under the added pressure from being European and World champion.

She remarked: “I do have higher expectations of myself because I know the hard work that my coach and I put in over the winter. When I went to Milan, to be introduced as the 2018 world champion was a bit strange and a new feeling though.

“Because of the Paralympics, I’m aiming to be competitive as a PTS5 rather than a PTS4. So actually my sights weren’t set on only winning my category, it was about doing well in the other class as well. That challenge provides a massive incentive for me to keep improving.”•