Bill Chaffey (paratriathlete) explained

Bill Chaffey
Nationality:Australian
Headercolor:green
Textcolor:yellow
Club:Tweed Valley Triathletes
Birth Date:9 October 1975
Birth Place:Tamworth, New South Wales

Bill Chaffey (born 9 October 1975) is an Australian paratriathlete who won his fifth world championship in 2015. He represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics when paratriathlon made its debut at the Paralympics.[1]

Personal

Chaffey became an incomplete paraplegic when, as a non-disabled triathlete training for an Ironman Triathlon, he was hit by a truck while on his bicycle.[2]

Career

He competes in the PT1 (handcycle/racing wheelchair classification) (formerly TRI-1) and was TRI-1 Paratriathlon World Champion in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015.[3] Chaffey's come-from-behind win over Jetze Plat was named in the International Paralympic Committee's Top 50 moments in Paralympic sport of 2013.[4] Chaffey was nominated for IPC Athlete of the Month in September 2013.[5] In January 2013, Chaffey won the inaugural Australian Paratriathlon Championships, beating Ironman and Paralympian John Maclean and Paralympic rower Erik Horrie.[6] [7] [8] He won the Men's TRI-1 classification of the 2014 Oceania Paratriathlon Championships in a world best time of 58.22,[9] and won the 2014 ITU World Paratriathlon event in Elwood, Melbourne.[10] [11]

In March 2013, Chaffey set a new TRI-1 world best time for an Olympic distance triathlon. His time of 2:08:59 bettered the previous record by 5 minutes.[12] In 2016 Chaffey again bettered that time by over 5 minutes setting a new world best time of 2:02:35. In May 2013, Chaffey raced Ironman Cairns where he qualified for Ironman World Championships in Kona.[13] [14] [15] He placed 2nd his classification in Kona.[16]

Chaffey was forced to withdraw from the 2014 ITU World Triathlon Series Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada after breaking his hip in a training accident at home just prior to the event.[17] In January 2015, he returned from injury to win the Oceania Paratriathlon Championships PT1 event at Penrith, New South Wales.[18]

Chaffey won his fifth world championship at the 2015 World Championships Final in Chicago.[19]

Chaffey competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympics Games and finished fourth in the Men's PT1 event.[20] In preparation for the Paralympics, Chaffey stated "I just thought, this has to be mine. I have to have it...the Paralympics, A paralympic gold would not be a level step up but a greater step up, it's something I'm really putting a lot of focus on."[21] During the Paralympics, Chaffey expressed his love of triathlon through saying "It's triathlon, it's in my blood. I love it. It's the greatest sport in the world".[22]

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Queensland, he won the bronze medal in the men's PWTC despite crashing in the hand cycle leg and riding the final 8km of that leg with one pedal.[23]

In his final major international event, at the 2018 World Championships, Gold Coast, Queensland, he finished sixth in the Men's PTWC.[24]

Recognition

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DEBUTANT PARATRIATHLETES PUT ICING ON THE RIO CAKE. Triathlon Australia website. 3 August 2016. 16 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190416231332/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Debutant_paratriathletes_put_icing_on_the_Rio_cake.htm. dead.
  2. Web site: In Profile: Bill Chaffey, Australia. 15 October 2009. International Triathlon Union.
  3. Web site: Bill Chaffey: Results. International Triathlon Union.
  4. Web site: Bill makes it four in a row . International Paralympic Committee . 8 March 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140308062939/http://www.paralympic.org/feature/no-36-bill-chaffey-makes-it-four-row . 8 March 2014 . dmy-all .
  5. Web site: September's IPC Athlete of the Month Poll opens. 5 October 2013 .
  6. Web site: Chaffey makes history at first ever national paratriathlon. Australian Paralympic Committee. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130212180318/http://london2012.paralympic.org.au/news/chaffey-makes-history-first-ever-national-paratriathlon. 12 February 2013. dmy-all.
  7. Web site: Bill Chaffey gets boost in road to Rio. The Australian. 11 Jan 2013.
  8. Web site: Inspired Chaffey wins first Australian paratriathlon crown . Triathlon Australia . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130130012311/http://www.triathlon.org.au/News/Latest_News/Inspired_Chaffey_wins_first_Australian_Paratriathlon_Crown.htm . 30 January 2013 .
  9. Web site: Chaffey clocks world first at paratriathlon titles . Sporting Wheelies . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140126233340/http://www.sportingwheelies.org.au/news/486-chaffey-clocks-world-first-at-paratriathlon-titles . 26 January 2014 .
  10. Web site: Chaffey defeats weather in Elwood . Australian Paralympic Committee . 8 March 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140308013308/http://www.paralympic.org.au/news/chaffey-defeats-weather-elwood . 8 March 2014 .
  11. Web site: 2014 Penrith OTU Paratriathlon Oceania Championships | World Triathlon .
  12. Web site: Mooloolaba number 5 . Backhouse . Gillian . 19 March 2013 . Chasing The Dream . 7 January 2021.
  13. Web site: Where there's a will there's a way: Bill Chaffey continues to inspire. 21 May 2013 . Trizone.
  14. Web site: Bill Chaffey to compete in first Hawaiian Ironman eight years after being hit after being hit by truck training for first attempt. AMANDA LULHAM. 8 October 2013. 8 March 2014.
  15. Web site: Australian Paratriathlete Tackles Unfinished Business in Kona. ironman.com. 8 March 2014.
  16. Web site: Ironman World Championship 2013 Results – Bill Chaffey. 8 March 2013.
  17. News: A shattered Bill Chaffey out of world champs after fall. 31 August 2014. Northern Star. 24 August 2014.
  18. Web site: brave rain swept Neapean to Conquer Oceania Championships. Triathlon Australia News, 13 January 2013. 13 January 2015. 27 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200727214615/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/PARATRIATHLETES_BRAVE_RAIN_SWEPT_NEPEAN_TO_CONQUER_OCEANIA_CHAMPIONSHIPS.htm. dead.
  19. Web site: White. Chelsea. Australia awesome at Paratriathlon World Championships. International Triathlon Union News. 18 September 2015 . 18 September 2015.
  20. Web site: Men – PT2 Schedule & Results . Rio 2016 Paralympic Games . 19 September 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160923080142/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/triathlon-men-pt2 . 23 September 2016 .
  21. Web site: Rio 2016 Paralympics Bill Chaffey Interview. Rio 2016 Paralympics Bill Chaffey Interview. International Triathlon Union. 18 September 2016.
  22. Web site: Spits. Scott. Triathlon on debut at Rio Paralympics: Pain, disappointment and a love for the sport. Triathlon on debut at Rio Paralympics: Pain, disappointment and a love for the sport. 11 September 2016 . Sydney Morning Herald. 18 September 2016.
  23. News: Bode . Mark . Gold Coast Commonwealth Games: Ex-McCarthy Catholic College student Bill Chaffey lauded for character following heavy crash . 17 September 2018 . The Northern Daily Leader . 7 April 2018.
  24. Web site: Tapp turned on full bore as Emily strokes World Championship gold . Triathlon Australia website . 16 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034356/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Tapp_turned_on_full_bore_as_Emily_strikes_world_championship_gold.htm . 17 September 2018 . dead .
  25. Web site: Rion Bound Ryan Bailie scoops the pool at Celebration Champions Dinner. Triathlon Australia News, 10 April 2016. 10 April 2016.