PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![Collage of five athlete photos](/sites/default/files/images/161206151019789_Athlete-of-the-Month-November.jpg)
Vote now for the Allianz Athlete of the Month – November 2016
The public has until 13 December to vote for their favourite among the five candidates.
![Joachim Gerard of Belgium celebrates after winning the mens final match against Gordon Reid of Great Britain on Day 5 of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on December 04, 2016 in London, England.](/sites/default/files/images/161205111358547_GettyImages-627621090.jpg)
Gerard, Griffioen, Wagner retain NEC Masters titles
Joachim Gerard upsets Gordon Reid, while Jiske Griffioen comes back from round-robin struggles for year-end singles championship wins.
![Sao Paulo wins 2016 Brazilian School Paralympics](/sites/default/files/images/161205113138046_Sao%2BPaulo.jpg)
Sao Paulo wins 2016 Brazilian School Paralympics
It is the fourth time the Brazilian state seals the title, with Santa Catarina coming in second and Rio de Janeiro completing the podium.
![Indonesian Para badminton player Suryo Nugroho](/sites/default/files/images/161205114138138_para%2Bbadminton.jpg)
China shine at Asian Para Badminton Champs
China were victorious in eight of the 22 events.
![No.27: USA seals double gold, Spain surprises](/sites/default/files/styles/video_crop_16_9/public/oembed_thumbnails/SDoRXsUvOKqonNmdMcQl7-o0tZaNvOTrKuwyx6ctddY.jpg?itok=n1Xack16)
No.27: USA seals double gold, Spain surprises
The US men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams had not topped the podium at a same Paralympic Games since Seoul 1988.
![Canada won 3-0 over Norway at the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, Canada.](/sites/default/files/images/161205092550253__18B5101.jpg)
Canada take opening win at World Sledge Hockey Challenge
Paralympic and world champions the USA also won their first game against South Korea.
![Trygve Steinar Larsen, Norway lines up his shot in biathlon.](/sites/default/files/images/140617094600765_SOC_20140314_LP_0042_WEB.jpg)
Finsterau calling for Norway’s Larsen
The five-time World Championships medallist believes the German venue is an important stop on his road to PyeongChang.
![Canada and South Korea's ice sledge hockey teams](/sites/default/files/images/131202125827053_1452007_626486074074477_917498164_n.jpg)
Five fast facts: World Sledge Hockey Challenge
Here is a quick list of things to know prior to watching the four-team sledge hockey tournament.
![Liu Lei of China celebrates a world record lift and takes gold in the Men's 67.5kg competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.](/sites/default/files/images/150526093806703_lei%2Bliu.jpg)
Lei Liu: My top three moments from Rio 2016
Get to know China’s triple powerlifting Paralympic champion’s favourite three moments from Latin America’s first Paralympic Games.
![Noelle Lenihan of Ireland competes in the women's discus F38 final at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.](/sites/default/files/images/160603070456726_Noelle%2BLenihan.jpg)
Winners revealed at Irish Paralympic awards
Cyclists were the big winners of the night but there was a surprise for thrower Orla Barry.