Para sport review: October 2017
Dance, taekwondo and rowing Worlds headline the action 31 Oct 2017
There were stunning performances across the world of Para sport in October
Three World Championships, two World Cups and several regional competitions were held in October.
2017 World Para Dance Sport Championships
Nearly 170 athletes from 22 nations competed over 18 medals events in Malle, Belgium, at the second World Championships to feature both single and freestyle events after Rome 2015. Although not his first World title, Ukraine's Ivan Sivak enjoyed an emotional victory as it was his first without wife Nadia who sadly passed away a year ago last year and together with whom he won four World golds and multiple European titles. The Philippines' Rhea Marquez and Jun Julius Obero also rose to the challenge as they successfully defended their combi freestyle class 2 title.
World Para Taekwondo Championships
Over 260 athletes from a record-breaking number of 59 countries gathered at the Copper Box Arena in London, Great Britain for the international competition, which included surprising victories and athletes winning their second world titles.
World Rowing Championships
Australia, Great Britain, Netherlands and Norway all won world rowing crowns over the new distance of 2,000m in Sarasota-Bradenton, USA.
International Triathlon Union (ITU) Sarasota Para Triathlon World Cup
Great Britain’s Paralympic, world and European champion Andrew Lewis ended his season in style as he won the men's PTS2 category in a triathlon event turned duathlon due to swimming cancellation.
International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Judo World Cup
Uzbek judokas dominated on home soil in Tashkent as they sealed four golds, three silvers and four bronze to top the medals table.
IBSA Blind Football African Championships
Morocco successfully defended their continental title following an 8-1 victory over Mali in the gold medal match, in Praia, Cape Verde. Both finalists qualified for the 2018 World Championships in Madrid, Spain.
ParaVolley Pan America Championships
Brazil and the USA battled it out for both the men’s and women’s titles to ensure all four teams qualified for the 2018 World Championships. The former took the men´s gold, while the latter claimed the women´s title.
ITTF European Para Table Tennis Championships
Belgium's teenage sensation Laurens Devos added another title to his list of accolades as he won the team gold alongside Ben Ashok Despineux after beating Italy 2-0. Another top performance was delivered by young Irish player and world No.10 Colin Judge, who won the men’s class 2 following a 3-1 triumph over Poland´s Rafal Czuper.
IBSA Goalball African Championships
Algerian men’s and women’s goalball teams left victorious from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, as they both won their second successive continental titles after beating the hosts in the finals.
Chicago Marathon
USA's Tatyana McFadden won a spectacular seven consecutive Chicago marathon, while Switzerland's Rio 2016 gold medallist Marcel Hug was the fastest in the men´s race.
World Para Ice Hockey Paralympic Winter Games Qualification Tournament
Czech Republic, Japan and hosts Sweden qualified for PyeongChang 2018 after finishing among the top three teams in Ostersund. The Czechs came out on top, securing better seeding for next year´s Winter Paralympics.
French Riviera Open
USA´s world No.1 David Wagner won his third successive quad title, while Frenchman Nicolas Peifer and the Netherlands' Diede de Groot emerged triumphant in the French commune of Biot.
