Derry twins Chloe and Judith MacCombe have completed their triathlon event at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, finishing sixth and eighth respectively.
Cassie Cava finished 12th in the PTS4 event despite suffering a fall before the start line and requiring attention for her prosthetic leg during her run.
All 11 triathlon events, postponed on Sunday due to concerns about the quality of water in the River Seine, got the green light early this morning.
The 29-year-old sisters, who have a form of albinism which affects their vision, were both competing in the PTVI3 class.
Judith MacCombe's participation was in serious doubt having picked up an illness in camp, but the extra day allowed her make it to the start line.
Ranked third in the world, Chloe, along with her guide Catherine Sands, emerged from the water in ninth position, just 17 seconds ahead of Judith and her guide, Eimear Nicholls.
Less than 10 seconds separated the pair at this early stage, both sisters moving up a place during the five laps of the course.
Chloe, however, was hit with a 10-second penalty in transition 2 for placing equipment outside the box before starting her run, but a strong 5km run saw her cross the line in sixth with a time of 1:10.32.
Her sister was two places further back in a time of 1:11.17.
"We did the best we could," Chloe told RTÉ Sport. "We went out there to cross the line knowing that we had did everything and left everything out there. That's what we did.
"Judith hadn't been feeling the best the last couple of days. To be on the start line today was a real feat. It was absolutely phenomenal to see her out there pushing hard and spurring us on as well."
Her sister said it was only natural to ponder what the outcome might have been had she been at her physical peak.
"There is that element of what if?" she said. "But it is what it is. You go out on the day and I always say anything can happen on race day.
"It could have been someone else that was sick. You just work with what you have and go hard no matter what."
It was a difficult afternoon for fellow triathlete Cava, with a fall getting to the startline causing a leg injury to the 32-year-old.
A right below-the-knee amputee, she was largely unaffected for the swim, emerging from the water in sixth.
However, the searing pain in her leg had a significant impact on the bike. The former Great Britain athlete was forced to stop and take off her prosthetic during the race before struggling around the course to finish 12th in a time of 1:37.29.
"It was really tough," she said. "I got to the bike and I was in so much pain, I was like, 'how am I going to do this?' Each lap I thought, ‘I’ve got to stop, I’ve got to stop’."
"I got to the first aid station on the run and I was in a lot of pain. I had to get my leg off, I was in absolute agony.
"I think I twisted something (with the prosthetic). If something swells up, everything just is awful quite quickly."
It was the support of those on the course and those that have put her in the position to get to Paris that fuelled her desire to get to the finish.
"It was amazing," she said. "There were so many people out here supporting me. So many people have helped me get here in general, I thought, 'I can't quit’."
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