Search
shop

Paratriathlete Geert Schipper sets new hand-cycling Hour Record

Record breaker! Geert Schipper set new figures for the Hour Record on the boards in Alkmaar on Wednesday
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Rio 2016 Paralympic Games silver medal winning triathlete, Geert Schipper, today set a new Hour Record for hand-cycling at the Sportpaleis velodrome in Alkmaar, the Netherlands.

Schipper, who competes in the PTWC division within paratriathlon, moved the title from one Dutch athlete to another, setting new figures if 47.289 km, improving the previous best by just over two and a half kilometres.

Advertisement

Surpassing a legend

You know that the task set isn’t in any one, when the previous holder of the record is Jetze Plat. Plat is one of the greatest para-athletes in the world, a multiple Paralympic and World Champion, across both triathlon and para-cycling. More recently, Plat has also been performing at the top level at the Marathon Majors in Berlin and London too.

Today, Schipper’s target on the track was the 44.749km that his Dutch team mate had set back in 2019.

Double Dutch

While Schipper has spent many a competition finishing second to his countryman, Plat – including that silver medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games triathlon – he’s a class act in his own right. His extensive results history includes a host of Dutch, European and World Championship victories on his C.V. across all distances in triathlon, and para-cycling. Today was his time to shine.

SLT Arena Games London powered by Zwift - Paratriathlon 2021
Schipper at Arena Games Triathlon London in 2021 (Photo by Tom Shaw/SLT)

While they may compete on the course, Jetze Plat was on-site in Alkmaar to support his friend and congratulate him on a fine effort.

Just as we have seen in recent years with the likes of Bradley Wiggins, Victor Camenaerts, Jos Lowden, Dan Bigham and most recently, Filippo Ganna and Ellen van Dijk, it is great to see previous barriers being challenged in para-sport, too.

Congratulations Geert.

Geert Schipper Hour Record handcycling
Photo Credit; Martin de Haan
John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
Laura Philipp wins the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, France
IRONMAN World Champ looking for SIXTH straight win on race return at 70.3 Kraichgau
Richard Varga farewell The Championship in Samorin 2025
Quadruple multi-sport world champion “smiled through the suffering” at his ‘last dance’
Kristian Blummenfelt wins 703 Aix en Provence 2025
Kristian Blummenfelt eyes IRONMAN World Championship 1-2-3 for Norwegians
Kat Matthews vs Laura Philipp
IRONMAN Hamburg pro women’s start list: Laura Philipp vs Kat Matthews in World Championship rematch
Lionel Sanders wins 70.3 St George 2025 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
Triathlon superstar Lionel Sanders says he went to a “dark place” to fuel his latest IRONMAN win
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...