Lauren Parker (born 15 December 1988) is an Australian para-triathlete and para-cyclist. She won a silver medal (triathlon) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and two gold (triathlon and cycling) and silver (cycling) medals at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[1]
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She has won multiple World Triathlon Championships in Women's PTWC.
Parker was born on 15 December 1988 in Belmont, New South Wales.[2] She lives in Newcastle, New South Wales.
Before having to transition to paratriathlon as a result of a serious training accident in April 2017, Parker was a successful triathlete.[3] She took up triathlon at the age of 18 after being a successful junior swimmer.[2] At the 2015 Ironman World Championship in Kona she finished second in the Women's 25–29 Age Group.[4]
The training accident left Parker with a punctured lung, broken ribs, shoulder blade and pelvis, and damaged spinal cord. She spent six months in hospital and spinal rehabilitation unit. She turned to paratriathlon and competes in the PTWC-class for wheelchair athletes. After three months training, she won the bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Queensland.[5]
At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Parker fished second and won the silver medal with a time of 1:06.26.[6] She was just 0.01 of a second behind the Gold medal winner Kendall Gretsch of the United States.
Major PTWC-class international paratriathlon results:[7]
- 2018 – OTU Paratriathlon Oceania Championship, St Kilda Melbourne – 2nd place
- 2018 – ITU Paratriathlon World Cup, Devonport – 2nd place
- 2018 – Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast – Bronze medal
- 2018 – ITU World Paratriathlon Series Yokohama – 2nd place
- 2018 – ITU Paratriathlon World Cup, Besançon – 1st place
- 2018 – ITU World Paratriathlon Series, Iseo Franciacorta – 1st place
- 2018 – ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, Gold Coast – Bronze medal
- 2019 – ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, Lausanne – Gold medal[8]
- 2020 – Summer Paralympic Games, Tokyo – Silver medal -Women's PTWC[9]
- 2021 – ITU World Triathlon Championship Series, Abu Dhabi – Gold medal – Women's PTWC
- 2022 – ITU World Triathlon Championship Series, Abu Dhabi – Gold medal – Women's PTWC
- 2024 - Summer Paralympic Games, Paris – Gold medal in Women's PTWC[10]
Parker is coached by Dan Atkins.
- 2018 – New South Wales Institute of Sport Ian Thorpe OAM Outstanding Achievement Award for having come back from a horrific training accident the previous year to qualify, compete and win bronze at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games;[12] Sport NSW Athlete of the Year with a Disability ; Triathlon Australia Chris Hewitt Emerging Athlete Award;[13]
- 2019 – Australian Women's Health Sport Awards Comeback of the Year;[14] New South Wales Institute of Sport Ian Thorpe OAM Outstanding Achievement Award recognised Parker's ongoing battle to overcome her tragic training accident in 2017, with the paratriathlete ending the 2019 season as a world champion;[15] Sport NSW Athlete of the Year with a Disability.[16]
- 2021 - Triathlon Australia Performance of the Year;[17] Triathlon Australia Para-triathlon Female Performance of the Year;[17] Triathlon Australia Athlete's Athlete of the Year [17]
- 2022 - Sport NSW Athlete of the Year with a Disability;[18] Triathlon Australia Performance of the Year;[17] Triathlon Australia Para-triathlon Female Performance of the Year [17]
- 2023 - Triathlon Australia Para-triathlon Female Performance of the Year;[19] Sport NSW Athlete of the Year with a Disability,[20] [[Australian Institute of Sport Awards|AIS Sport Performance Awards]] - Female Para-Athlete of the Year;[21] AusCycling Women's Road Para-cyclist of the Year[22]
- 2024 - Flag bearer with James Turner at the Closing Ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France.[23]
- 2024 - New South Wales Institute of Sport Ian Thorpe AM Outstanding Achievement Award [24]
"Lauren Parker". Commonwealth Games Australia website. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018. "Lauren Parker". International Triathlon Union website. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
