Para sport review: September 2017

Three world championships headlined action-packed month 30 Sep 2017
Imagen
a group of Para athletes celebrate winning their events

Triathlon, tennis, athletics, shooting and snowboard were just five of the Para sports making headlines in September

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By IPC

2017 UCI Para Cycling Road World Championships

After four days of time trials and road races in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Germany topped the medals table with 20 medals (10 gold) followed by Italy (14 medals, seven gold) and the Netherlands (15 medals, six gold).

2017 World Archery Para Championships

In some of the most remarkable performances, Iran’s Paralympic champion Zahra Nemati reclaimed the world title she last won in 2013, Jessica Stretton led a British sweep in the women’s W1 event and Omer Asik was on target to help Turkey claim the men’s W1 team event in Beijing, China.

2017 ITU World Para Triathlon Championships

Rotterdam, the Netherlands, saw some brilliant performances from home favourite Jetze Plat, Canada’s Stefan Daniel and USA’s Grace Norman.

World Shooting Para Sport World Cup

South Korea’s Jiseok Lee won the R4 (mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2), Turkey’s Aysegul Pehlivanlar stunned Iranian Sareh Javanmardi in the P2 (women’s 10m air pistol SH1) and Slovakia’s Paralympic champion Veronika Vadovicova pulled off an outstanding comeback to win the R6 (mixed 50m rifle prone SH1) at the penultimate World Cup of the year in Osijek, Croatia, from 22-27 September.

World Para Snowboard World Cup

Australia's Joany Badenhorst and USA's Mike Minor topped the podium in the women's SB-LL2 and men's SB-UL categories, respectively, at the first World Cup of the season.

US Open

The most experienced wheelchair tennis players emerged triumphant at the last Grand Slam of the year as France’s world No.2 Stephane Houdet, Japan’s Yui Kamiji and USA’s David Wagner sealed the men’s, women’s and quad singles titles, respectively.

Berlin Marathon

Switzerland celebrated as Marcel Hug and Manuela Schar took the men’s and women’s marathon titles for the second successive year on 24 September.

International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Goalball European Championships

Paralympic champions Lithuania was crowned men’s champions after beating Germany 6-3 in the final, while Russia* won the women’s title following a 6-3 victory over Rio 2016 gold medallists Turkey.

2017 ParaVolley Africa Sitting Volleyball Championships

Hosts Rwanda won the women’s title, while Egypt was crowned male champions at the regional event in Kigali, from 13-17 September.

2017 Para Table Tennis Asian Championships

Chinese players once again shone on home ground in Beijing, winning multiple titles to finish top of the medals table.

Sardinia Open

In an all-French wheelchair tennis men’s final, Houdet defeated No.5 Nicolas Peifer 6-3, 6-1. Germany’s world No.9 Katharina Kruger won the women’s title after beating France’s Charlotte Famin 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Wagner claimed the quad singles title.

Starlight Open

Hong Kong’s spectators witnessed outstanding performances from their home dancers as they secured eight medals, including two golds.

Brazilian National Snowboard Championships

Brazil organised its first Para snowboard event in the Chilean city of Corralco, with eight athletes from Brazil and Canada competing.

World Para Snowboard Southern Hemisphere Cup

47 Para snowboarders from nine countries competed at the season’s opening event in Treble Cone, New Zealand.

 

*Editor’s note: The International Paralympic Committee suspended the Russian Paralympic Committee on 7 August 2016 for its inability to fulfil its IPC membership responsibilities and obligations, in particular its obligation to comply with the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code (to which it is also a signatory). As a result of the suspension, Russian athletes cannot enter IPC sanctioned events or competitions, including the Paralympic Games.