Para-sport in review: April 2016
30.04.2016Check out what went on in the Paralympic Movement during April.
Tatyana McFadden poses with Prince Harry and Switzerland's Marcel Hug after win in the 2016 London Marathon.
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2016 European Para Archery Championships
France (2), Turkey (2), Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Great Britain and Russia (1) secured nine Rio 2016 slots at the 2016 European Para Archery Championships in France. Full story.
IPC Athletics Grand Prix
Grosseto, Italy, hosted the year’s fourth Grand Prix and it was the Italian’s women’s 4x100m relay T24-27 team that made the headlines, setting a new world record. Nearly 240 athletes from 40 countries took part.
Two weeks later, the Grand Prix circuit moved to Beijing, China, a meeting that saw more than 200 athletes from 21 countries compete. Four world records were broken and one was equalled during three days of action. Details of the record breakers can be found in the reviews below.
Abbott World Marathon Majors
Switzerland’s Marcel Hug and the USA’s Tatyana McFadden, both T54 racers, made great starts to the season winning the first majors of the year – Boston and London – in the space of six days. The Virgin Money London Marathon also acted as the IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup. Other winners in the British capital included China’s Jin Zheng, who smashed the women’s T11 world record, the USA’s Raymond Martin (T52), Brazil’s world champion Aniceto dos Santos (T13), Yutaka Kumagai (T11/12) and China’s Li Chaoyan (T45/46).
Annual para-equestrian dressage competitions
Riding Lord Louis, South Africa’s Philippa Johnson-Dwyer won all three events – team test, individual and freestyle – of her grade III class. Great Britain’s Sophie Christiansen, on Athene, and her teammate Sophie Wells, on Valerius, also performed a clean sweep in the Ia class and the grade IV, respectively. This competition marked the final qualifying period for places for Rio 2016. Full story.
IPC Ice Sledge Hockey European Championships
In Ostersund, Sweden, Russia sealed the European title following a 9-0 victory over Norway, a round robin match that left Norway with bronze. Italy claimed the silver. Full story.
Rio 2016 Rowing qualification regatta
China secured four Rio 2016 spots in four different classes: LTAMix4+, men’s and women’s ASW1x and TAMix2x. Australia also qualified the LTAMix4+ boat class, whilst US rowers Blake Haxton (ASM1x) and Jacqui Kapinowski (ASW1x) secured their Paralympic berths.
2nd Asian Para-Taekwondo Open Championships
Russia topped the medals table in Manila, Philippines, with 12 medals, ahead of Iran and Mongolia. Full story.
World Para-Triathlon Event in Penrith, Australia
The hosts dominated the event by winning six of the 10 races. Bill Chaffey (PT1), Justin Godfrey (PT3), Jonathan Goerlach (PT5) claimed the titles in their respective men’s categories, whilst Emily Tapp (PT1), Kerryn Harvey (3) and Kate Doughty (4) were amongst the female winners. Great Britain and the USA won two races each. Full story.
Wheelchair Dance Sport Kazakhstan Open
Russian world champion and world No.1 Galina Ryzhkova stole the spotlight by winning gold medals in both the single and freestyle events at the first wheelchair dance sport competition of the year. Full story.
IWAS Asian Wheelchair Fencing Championships
China captured 25 medals, 11 of which were gold at the event in Hong Kong. The hosts finished second in the medal table. Full story.
IWRF 2016 Paralympic Qualifier Tournament
The USA and France secured the last two Rio 2016 spots after both reached the final in Paris, France. The USA claimed the title following a 54-45 win over the hosts. Full story.
