Toronto 2015 preview: Athletics

Competition dates: 10-14 August

Venue: CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium

Athletes: 377

Medal events: 114

Tickets: Adults CAD 30-40 / U16 & 64+ CAD 17.50

Buy athletics tickets at Ticketmaster

Introduction

Ahead of October’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar, many of the world’s best athletes will be competing in Toronto in order to get a head start on their rivals.

Three athletes to look out for

Yunidis Castillo (Cuba)

Castillo is one of the world’s fastest and most decorated para-athletes. In 2013, she completed a unique triple hat-trick winning world titles in the 100m, 200m, 400m just like she had done at London 2012 and the 2011 World Championships.

Brent Lakatos (Canada)

Lakatos is the world’s best T53 class sprinter and in 2013 won world titles over 100m, 200m and 400m. He is the 100m world record holder and will keen to impress on home soil.

Chelsea McClammer (USA)

Four years ago at the last Parapan American Games McClammer was one of the most successful athletes winning five gold medals and one silver; she will be hard to beat this time around too.

The sport

The largest sport of the Parapan American Games, athletics is comprised of track, jumping events, throwing events and combined events. Athletes compete in each event according to their functional classification.

The venue

The CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium will host the perfect blend of sport competition and celebration during the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games. The venue will not only host the track and field events — a spectator favourite - but will also be home to the memorable Parapan American Games Opening Ceremony.

The stadium is building on the world-class athletics infrastructure already present at York University, including the Toronto Track & Field Centre, which will serve as an athlete training and warm-up facility during the Games.

The fully accessible CIBC Pan Am / Parapan Am Athletics Stadium is designed for certification by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) as a Class 1 track suitable for hosting Olympic and other top-tier competitions.

It has a 400m track and an infield that supports throwing and jumping disciplines, as well as a scoreboard, professional broadcast capabilities, athlete change rooms, equipment storage and classroom space.

Spectators in the grandstand will have an unobstructed view of the field of play, as well as the natural landscape of the campus’s protected Boyer Woodlot.

On 7 August, the best para-athletes from the Americas will fill the venue for the Parapan American Games Opening Ceremony. The ceremony will create lifetime memories for athletes, coaches, officials and fans with the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the cauldron, which will officially open the Games.

After this intimate ceremony under the stars, the stadium will once again transform to host the majority of the athletics competitions for the Parapan American Games.

Gates open two hours before competition starts.