Josh Landmann relished being in front of a crowd as the Volvo 2022 World Triathlon Para Series descended on Swansea, with the Brit finishing seventh in the men’s wheelchair race writes Milly McEvoy. 

The 28-year-old from Poulton was the second Brit home in a time of 01:09:22 as Austria’s Florian Brungraber claimed gold, with his countryman Bret Crossley in sixth.

Swansea was making history as it hosted the UK’s first standalone Volvo WTPS event with Leeds previously hosting alongside the triathlon. 

Supporters lined the course to cheer Landmann and his competitors on the swim, bike and run along the sunny waterfront. 

“It's great because a lot of the races that we do, we don't get sometimes get much crowd,” said Landmann who lives in Preston. 

“And it's always nice to do it through a city centre where people that have never even seen the sport or even never mind paratriathlon, even just triathlon. 

“They are just walking around the streets, and they get to see it and get to explore a little bit more.  

“And because it's all quite close and compact. I think that makes it better for spectating as well, everything that's going on. I think hopefully we can just continue it and do it at more events. 

“From the experience we had in Leeds, being welcomed to a home crowd. It always gives you just a little bit extra to try and push a little bit further.  

“It's great and I've been told that we're coming back here next year. I hope we get the weather like this next year, and we get even more of a crowd as well.” 

The course presented a formidable task for all the athletes with narrow turns and even jellyfish in the swim. 

And for Landmann, the course outdid his expectations and was thankful not to have the hills of Leeds this time around. 

He added: “It was better than I thought, certainly the run course. When we saw the race courses, it was very zig-zaggy on parts and I was a little bit worried about it.  

“But once we got out there it was quite exciting and a little bit different, it's very different compared to Leeds.  

“Leeds was very, very hilly, and very, very technical and that's probably the hardest course I think we would ever have as a para-triathlon race. But it's nice to be here with just a bit of up and down.” 

Landmann bettered his eighth-place finish at the Volvo WTPS Leeds event last year but admits there is still something he is searching for. 

He said: "A podium is always on my mind and something I would love to achieve eventually.  

“But we've got some pretty phenomenal athletes in our category, so it's going to be tough, but it pushes everybody.” 

The Volvo 2022 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea - Britain's first ever standalone World Triathlon Para Series event - headlined a week-long para sport festival in the Welsh city, which also included the first ever International Paratriathlon Conference. Interested in getting involved in paratriathlon? Visit the get involved page on britishtriathlon.org