The Facts
Athlete knocked to ground during running section of
triathlon
An athlete had participated in multiple triathlon events leading
up to a triathlon in Queensland. Due to poor weather conditions,
the event was changed to a duathlon with a run, cycle, run format.
The athlete was disappointed in this change because swimming was
her strongest skill. Nevertheless, she chose to participate in the
event.
The triathlon had able-bodied athletes competing on the same
course with para-athletes. During the first leg of the event, the
athlete heard yelling and swearing moments before being knocked to
the ground by a para-athlete in a racing wheelchair.
She remembered the para-athlete ricocheting out of the
wheelchair and hitting the ground, but little else. As a result of
this event, the athlete suffered a brain injury and psychiatric
injury, as well as some other relatively minor physical
injuries.
