Nottwil, Switzerland, to stage first IPC Athletics Junior World Championships

“This announcement is the latest major development in the sport of para-athletics.”

IPC Athletics, the global governing body of para-athletics, has announced that the Swiss town of Nottwil will stage the first two editions of the IPC Athletics Junior World Championships in 2017 and 2019.

The aim of the new event, which will take place for the first time between 3-6 August 2017, is to provide the first step in the development pathway for young international class athletes towards regional and World Championships, as well as the Paralympic Games.

The Championships will cater for two age groups – youth athletes aged between 14 and 17 years and junior athletes aged between 18 and 19 years.

In 2017 the event will be staged at Sport Arena, Nottwil, the venue that has hosted an IPC Athletics Grand Prix for the last two years.

Ryan Montgomery, the IPC’s Head of Athletics, said: “This announcement is the latest major development in the sport of para-athletics.

“Since London 2012 our goal has been to create a structured competition pathway for leading athletes around the world and this latest move is a one of the most important addition to that pathway.”

“Coming in the year after the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, these first two Championships in Nottwil will provide that vital stepping stone between Junior and Senior Competitions for the world’s leading para-athletes and a flavour of what is to come in their international careers.”

Ruedi Spitzli, Head of Wheelchair Sport Switzerland, is pleased with the new World Championships: “The encouragement of young athletes is extremely important for us and we are glad about having an additional international competition.

“We always supported this development. Besides, we dispose of a team of talented young athletes which benefits of this great possibility to compete against the world-best juniors.

“The simultaneous assignment for two events shows that the IPC appreciates the quality of our competitions and is convinced that we will decisively contribute to the establishment of the new competition format. Athletes will profit from an excellent infrastructure, an experienced organiser and a very fast track in Nottwil. For example, there were 11 new world records on this track during the ParAthletics, the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in 2014.”