Guido Bonsen: IPC Athletics needs stronger competition

Our athletes need to race people who challenge them, and I believe we really should look into more possibilities to compete against able-bodied athletes.

Entering the 2014 IPC Athletics season, the Dutch team have been training hard and have more full-time athletes, and some other countries are starting full-time programmes for their athletes.

Because of this, the level of para-athletics is rising rapidly.

Times are getting faster and faster. Distances are growing. Athletes are drawing more and more attention from media and sponsors.

They are becoming household names.

The London 2012 Paralympics started this process, and Sochi 2014 proved it was no fluke.

In para-athletics, competitors are searching new challenges and finding new competitions to show their performances. We are seeing para-events at Diamond League competitions and other IAAF competitions. Also, on a national level, more and more combined competitions are being organised.

But let’s be honest, in most sport classes, competition is small. Four or five really good athletes are spread over the world and are not competing against each other on a frequent basis.

To make the next steps, athletes need more competitions and stronger competitions.

They need to be challenged.

In the Netherlands, my athletes are competing in able-bodied competitions a lot.

This winter, Ronald Hertog, for instance, competed in the long jump at our able-bodied national championships.

He finished eighth with a jump of 7.01m, and I am convinced that this summer more members of my team will compete alongside the able-bodied athletes in the Netherlands.

Our season will be a combination of IPC Athletics events and able-bodied competitions. Of course, we will visit some of the IPC Athletics Grand Prix events, and we are really looking forward to them.

But what would be the challenge for sprinter Marlou van Rhijn if France’s Marie-Amelie Le Fur is not there? Why should Ronald Hertog jump if Germany’s Markus Rehm is not jumping with him?

IPC Athletics events depend on a few athletes, whereas in able-bodied competitions, stronger opposition is easier to find. That is why a lot of athletes’ personal bests come at able-bodied competitions. For Marlou, her personal best in the 400m T44 is better than her IPC Athletics world record. She ran her best time in an able-bodied competition for her club.

Our athletes need to race people who challenge them, and I believe we really should look into more possibilities to compete against able-bodied athletes.

And speaking about able-bodied athletes, why is T54 wheelchair racing not open for everybody and an event offered at the Olympic Games?