Anna-Carin Ahlquist

The No. 1 class 3 para-table tennis player has never defended an international title.

Stefan Daniel of Canada competes in the cycling portion of the men's PT4 class during the Aquece Rio Paratriathlon at Copacabana beach on August 1, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Coming from a strong athletic background, the 19-year-old Canadian is a gold medal favourite at Rio.

Akiko Adachi

Check out the players that will headline the goalball event at September’s Paralympic Games.

A para-equestrian rider gallops on a horse.

Nearly 50 riders from nine countries will compete in the event

Swimmer doing backstroke

A series of other swimmers will also try to add to their medal count in the finals in Funchal, Portugal, on Friday (6 May).

US sprinter Jarryd Wallace wins the men's 200m T44 World Championships race.

The US T44 sprinter thinks Richard Browne’s mark of 10.61 seconds could be lowered before September’s Paralympic Games.

Two swimmers hugging after a race

Ukraine's Yelyzaveta Mereshko shaved four seconds off the time of her British rival Eleanor Simmonds in the women's 400m freestyle S6.

A para swimmer

David Grachat will take to the water in his favourite event in front of his home crowds in Funchal, Portugal.

A swimmer starts their race

Spain’s Sarai Gascon will go for a 100 per cent win record in her sixth race, but will have to get past the Netherlands’ European champion Chantalle Zijderveld.

Paralympic Sport A-Z: Sitting volleyball

The pool stages in the men’s and women’s competitions will see repeat fixtures from the London 2012 gold medal matches.

Finland's Petri Posio and Erkki Miinala block the ball during their gold-medal match at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. After winning Paralympic gold, the Finnish squad will now host the 2014 World Championships.

Reigning men’s Paralympic champions Finland will face European title winner Turkey, women’s champions Japan drawn with world gold medallists USA.

Alex Zanardi

The first leg of the 2016 Road World Cup season will take place in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, from 6-8 May.

Sergey Malyshev of Russia, wearing glasses, a visor and ear protection shoots his Mixed P3-25m Pistol at an indoor range at The Royal Artillery Barracks

Ukraine’s Kovalchuk claimed victory in the R5, while Russia’s Malyshev took home gold in the P5.

Goalball China X Iran - London 2012

The sport was introduced at Toronto 1976 with a men’s event, whilst women made their debut at New York 1984.

Goalball women's gold medal game between USA and Brazil at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.

The 17th edition of the Malmo Ladies Intercup will be held from 6-8 May

A swimmer's head rising out of the water

Portugal’s David Grachat also placed himself in pole position to claim the hosts’ first medal in Funchal.

A group of para swimmers

Paralympic gold medallists highlight the squad, including Sophie Pascoe and Mary Fisher.

Close up of man with swim cap

A new world record for Ukraine's Dubrov and European marks for Russia's Zhdanov and Spain's Gascon also highlightened the competition in Funchal, Portugal.

Swimmers doing backstroke

On Thursday (5 May) the men’s S2 will feature a face-off between a defending champion and swimmer set to make his Paralympic debut in 2016.

Alex Zanardi

The 49-year-old Italian is hoping to add to the two para-cycling gold medals he won at London 2012 at September’s Paralympic Games in Rio.