Bill Chaffey (paratriathlete)

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]

Bill Chaffey
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1975-10-09) 9 October 1975
Tamworth, New South Wales
Sport
ClubTweed Valley Triathletes
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Men's Paratriathlon
ITU Triathlon World Championships
Gold medal – first place2009 Gold CoastTRI 1
Gold medal – first place2011 BeijingTRI 1
Gold medal – first place2012 AucklandTRI 1
Gold medal – first place2013 LondonTRI 1
Gold medal – first place2015 ChicagoPT1
Silver medal – second place2010 BudapestTRI 1
Ironman World Championship
Silver medal – second place2013Men's Handcycle division
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2018 Gold CoastPTWC

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
  • 2016 – Australian Paratriathlete of the Year[25]

References
  1. "DEBUTANT PARATRIATHLETES PUT ICING ON THE RIO CAKE". Triathlon Australia website. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  2. "In Profile: Bill Chaffey, Australia". International Triathlon Union. 15 October 2009.
  3. "Bill Chaffey: Results". International Triathlon Union.
  4. "Bill makes it four in a row". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  5. "September's IPC Athlete of the Month Poll opens". 5 October 2013.
  6. "Chaffey makes history at first ever national paratriathlon". Australian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013.
  7. "Bill Chaffey gets boost in road to Rio". The Australian. 11 January 2013.
  8. "Inspired Chaffey wins first Australian paratriathlon crown". Triathlon Australia. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013.
  9. "Chaffey clocks world first at paratriathlon titles". Sporting Wheelies. Archived from the original on 26 January 2014.
  10. "Chaffey defeats weather in Elwood". Australian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  11. "2014 Penrith OTU Paratriathlon Oceania Championships | World Triathlon".
  12. Backhouse, Gillian (19 March 2013). "Mooloolaba number 5". Chasing The Dream. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  13. "Where there's a will there's a way: Bill Chaffey continues to inspire". Trizone. 21 May 2013.
  14. AMANDA LULHAM (8 October 2013). "Bill Chaffey to compete in first Hawaiian Ironman eight years after being hit after being hit by truck training for first attempt". Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  15. "Australian Paratriathlete Tackles Unfinished Business in Kona". ironman.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  16. "Ironman World Championship 2013 Results – Bill Chaffey". Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  17. "A shattered Bill Chaffey out of world champs after fall". Northern Star. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  18. "brave rain swept Neapean to Conquer Oceania Championships". Triathlon Australia News, 13 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  19. White, Chelsea (18 September 2015). "Australia awesome at Paratriathlon World Championships". International Triathlon Union News. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  20. "Men – PT2 Schedule & Results". Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  21. "Rio 2016 Paralympics Bill Chaffey Interview". Rio 2016 Paralympics Bill Chaffey Interview. International Triathlon Union. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  22. Spits, Scott (11 September 2016). "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. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  23. Bode, Mark (7 April 2018). "Gold Coast Commonwealth Games: Ex-McCarthy Catholic College student Bill Chaffey lauded for character following heavy crash". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  24. "Tapp turned on full bore as Emily strokes World Championship gold". Triathlon Australia website. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  25. "Rion Bound Ryan Bailie scoops the pool at Celebration Champions Dinner". Triathlon Australia News, 10 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
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