On August 30, Aaron Scheidies, did exactly what he  set out to do at the 2014 ITU Paratriathlon World  Championships in Edmonton, Canada - take back the  GOLD. Scheidies, the 32 year old Visually Impaired  triathlete finished the course in 1:00:58.  Guided by  Colin Riley, Scheidies' blistering time keeps him atop  the leader board in the PT5 category (Blind/Visually  Impaired) for 2014, having finished first in each of  the four ITU sprint distance races he competed in  this season (750m Swim, 20K bike, 5K Run).

Scheidies handily beat his competitors, including  Dave Ellis from the UK, who beat him last summer at  the 2013 ITU World Championships and stripped the  long-time US Paratriathlete of his title. Redemption  was sweet for Scheidies, beating Ellis by nearly five  minutes (Ellis finished the race in  1:05:29).  

Interest in paratriathlon is at an all-time high as the sport of approaches its Paralympic Games debut in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Three classes (men's  PT1, men's &  women's PT4) have been added to the Paralympic  program, with three more to be announced at a later date. Scheidies Road to Rio will be decided should the PT5 category (Blind/Visually Impaired) be added. 

Scheidies hopes to be a two-sport athlete in Rio and will look to qualify for the US Paralympic Marathon Team when he races at the 2014 Chicago Marathon in October. 

Scheidies Remaining 2014 Schedule:

September 21, USAT Paratriathlon National Championships, Tempe, AZ

October 12, Chicago Marathon, Chicago, IL

For more information on Aaron Scheidies or sponsorship interest, please contact Carie Goldberg of Gold Standard Sports - (310) 709-7630 and carie@goldstandardsports.com.

About Aaron Scheidies:
Aaron Scheidies is a 32-year-old that has overcome more in his short life than many conquer in a lifespan. Born with a hereditary eye condition that slowly deteriorates his central vision, Aaron now has about 15% of the vision of a fully sighted person. Competing in the sport of triathlon for more than a dozen years, Scheidies began with sprint triathlon and has continued up the triathlon pyramid with 70.3 and full Ironman races. Having traveled around the globe and competing in nearly 200 triathlons, Scheidies is an eight-time triathlon World Champion and an nine-time National Champion. For more information on Aaron please visit www.cdifferentwithaaron.com and follow him on Twitter @AaronScheidies and on Facebook @CDifferentWithAaron.

About Gold Standard Sports:

Gold Standard Sports is a boutique sports and entertainment marketing and management agency specializing in the brand and image building of professional athletes, sports broadcasters and celebrities. Gold Standard guides the careers of each individual through endorsement opportunities, broadcasting, lifestyle pr, marketing and philanthropic outreach. GSS has the unique ability to achieve success for each individual through highly cultivated brand and media relationships. In addition, GSS does casting and talent sourcing for consumer brands looking to connect with athletes and celebrities to bolster marketing and pr campaigns. Please visit www.goldstandardsports.com.