PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![Laureus Academy member Alessandro Del Piero hands the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award to winner Fencer Beatrice Vio of Italy during the 2017 Laureus World Sports Awards.](/sites/default/files/images/170215111650069_Beatrice%2BVio.jpg)
Beatrice Vio wins 2017 Laureus Award
The Italian wheelchair fencer won the prestigious award following an incredible Paralympics debut at Rio 2016.
![The draw for the European Championships 2017 Men’s competition took place in Tenerife on Wednesday 8th February at the Centro Cultural de Los Cristianos Arona.](/sites/default/files/images/170222091055773_basketball.jpg)
Wheelchair basketball European men’s groups decided
The 2015 medallists Great Britain, Turkey and Germany were drawn in the same group for this year’s Championships.
![Malmo Open took place from 11-12 February in Sweden.](/sites/default/files/images/170215120217371_goalball.jpg)
Portugal’s Sporting CP claims Malmo Open goalball title
The Portuguese club went undefeated in Sweden.
Ukraine and France land gold in cross-country relays
The mixed relay was won by the Ukrainian team, whilst France topped the podium in the open relay at the World Championships in Finsterau, Germany.
![Logo The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)](/sites/default/files/images/170303082915639_Logo-ITTF.jpg)
Para table tennis leaders meet in Brondby
The heads of the ITTF’s Para table tennis division met in Denmark to discuss the busy year ahead.
![Matti Suur-Hamari](/sites/default/files/images/140213114021971_12484664984_9d1ebaafb0_z_0.jpg)
Riders continue winning run at World Cup
Newly crowned world champions added to their World Cup points hauls on Wednesday (15 February), in La Molina, Spain.
![Portugal's David Grachat at the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships in Funchal.](/sites/default/files/images/160505172606702_DSC_3987.jpg)
Swimmers to represent Portugal at opening World Series
A trio of athletes, including triple Paralympian David Grachat, will compete in Copenhagen, Denmark from 11-12 March.
![Adecco - CEO for one month](/sites/default/files/images/170306074207318_IOCAthletesHub_SavannahGraybill.jpg)
Para athletes - Ever thought of working as a CEO?
The Adecco Group – a global Fortune 500 company – offers athletes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as CEO for One Month.
![Day 3 highlights: 2017 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships](/sites/default/files/styles/video_crop_16_9/public/oembed_thumbnails/9-N1Bghn804dvzc0-ogh0F0yV7LOWcs6ZBBsAMsdncE.jpg?itok=fw9d-fJH)
Germany celebrate double individual gold in Finsterau
The home crowd was ecstatic as Martin Fleig and Anja Wicker raced to victory in the men's and women's biathlon individual sitting at the World Championships.
![A local priest is also acting as the official timekeeper at Finsterau 2017](/sites/default/files/images/170214170635529_Priest.jpg)
The priest who acts as timekeeper in Finsterau
Bernhard Kraus, priest at the local church, volunteers at the World Para Nordic Skiing Championships in Germany.