By Jonathan Brown
ROSTREVOR native Catherine Sands travelled to Paris yesterday as she prepares for a Paralympic Games appearance with Team Ireland.
Catherine will compete with para-triathlete Chloe MacCombe as her sighted guide.
29-year-old Derry native Chloe is competing alongside her twin sister Judith at what will the pair’s first ever appearance at a Paralympic Games.
Catherine and Chloe will hope to repeat their success at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, when they claimed a silver medal in the Women’s PTVI para-triathlon race.
The duo currently sit third in the PTVI World Triathlon rankings and will go into the Games fancying their chances of a podium spot in France.
Both Chloe and twin sister Judith suffer with visual impairment due to albinism and require assistance from sighted guides when competing.
Guides help para-triathletes by swimming with them using a tether, cycling with them on a tandem bike and running with them, again whilst tethered together.
32-year-old Catherine, who is a member of Newry Triathlon Club and Newry Wheelers Cycling Club, will compete with Chloe in the PTVI final on Monday (2 September).
