IPC Reveal Six New Events to be Staged in 2013

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that six IPC Athletics Grand Prix events will be staged during 2013.

In addition to recent announcements confirming the host cities of the next three World Championships through to 2017 and London’s staging of the first IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup this April, medic IPC Athletics plans to stage six Grand Prix events this spring and summer. 

The events will start in March with a three day meeting in Dubai, sale UAE before heading to Beijing, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Grosseto Italy; Arizona, USA and Berlin, Germany. 

Ed Warner, Chair of the IPC Athletics Sport Technical Committee, said: “This announcement is a direct legacy of London 2012 where the sport’s profile was raised to astronomical levels. Over 1.1 million tickets were sold for the Olympic Stadium whilst many global broadcasters pulled in record audiences for track and field events. 

“To build on this success IPC Athletics is keen to create more high profile competition opportunities over the coming years. 

“We now have World Championships in place for 2013, 2015 and 2017 and the first IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup taking place this April to coincide with the Virgin London Marathon. 

“This year’s Grand Prix events are very much a trial and are designed to improve standards off the track first and then provide more competition opportunities for leading athletes later. 

“Should the trial be successful then we will look at how we can expand these events in 2014 and beyond.”