PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![A graphic image featuring photos of Esther Vergeer and Rick Draney next to the words "Class of 2023".](/sites/default/files/2023-02/ITF%20Hall%20of%20Fame%20Vergeer%20Draney%20grey.jpg)
Esther Vergeer and Rick Draney to be inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame
Vergeer and Draney were announced as the Class of 2023 in a special ceremony at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, marking the first time two wheelchair candidates were elected simultaneously
![A graphic announcing Declan Farmer as Laureus Award nominee](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Declan%20Farmer%20-%201920x1080__0.jpg)
Declan Farmer becomes first Para ice hockey player nominated to Laureus Awards
USA’s three-time Paralympic champion is among the six nominees for the prestigious Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award
![Laureus 2023 nominees](/sites/default/files/2023-02/2023%20Laureus%20nominees.jpg)
Six Paralympians nominated for 2023 Laureus Sport Awards
Cameron Leslie, Catherine Debrunner, Declan Farmer, Diede De Groot, Jesper Saltvik Pedersen, and Oksana Masters have been shortlisted for the prestigious World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award
![Australia's Timothy Hodge poses with his medals at the season-opening Citi Para Swimming World Series Australia 2023 .](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Australia%27s%20Timothy%20Hodge%20poses%20with%20his%20medals..jpg)
Hodge, Jincheng steal show in season opener
Paralympic star propels hosts Australia to top of the medal standings with 11 gold medals, while Jincheng was joined by Singapore's star Yip Pin Xiu
![A female Alpine skier wearing a Team USA jacket skis](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Bonnie%20St%20John%201.jpg)
First African-American woman to win a Winter Games medal: 'an incredible milestone'
Para alpine skier Bonnie St. John ‘completely stunned’ with her achievement of winning three medals at the Innsbruck 1984 Paralympic Winter Games, which made her the first African-American woman to win a Paralympic or Olympic medal at a Winter Games
![19 people pose for a photograph in front of a screen that says "Welcome to Bonn"](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Code%20Review%20Team%20meeting%202023%20Bonn.jpg)
IPC Code Review Team meets in Bonn to discuss feedback on Classification Code draft
The Code Review Team met between 11 and 13 February to analyse feedback received on the first draft of the IPC Classification Code published in July 2022
![A male swimmer with a cap of Australia jumping in the water with another male swimmer in the foreground](/sites/default/files/2023-02/GettyImages-1337727272.jpg)
Timothy Hodge leads home squad at season opener World Series in Australia
Citi Para Swimming World Series kicks off in Melbourne with 93 athletes from 11 countries including a local star aiming high for the new season
![A female runner smiles and raises her right arm in a salute as she comes off the running track.](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Hlompho%20Kete%20hand%20wave.jpg)
Self-acceptance helps Kete embrace life after losing eyesight in medical mystery
"I’ve learned that I’m like this, I have to accept myself like this" - teenage sprinter from Lesotho encourages young athletes to be confident about their disabilities and to chase their dreams
![A male wheelchair tennis player makes a serve on a hard green court with his left arm stretched out wide.](/sites/default/files/2023-02/Michael%20Jeremiasz%20Rio%202016.jpg)
Jeremiasz serves up intimate talk on sex and disability in groundbreaking podcast
No topics are off limits for Paralympic champion and Paris 2024 Ambassador Michael Jeremiasz who is eager to encourage people with disabilities to be open about their sexuality
![A man stands in front of a display of chocolates](/sites/default/files/2023-02/1%20Gerrard%20Gosens%20chocolate.jpg)
Three-time Paralympian, chocolate maker Gosens says “yes” to all things sweet in life
Looking for something sweet to give your date on Valentine's Day? Australian Para triathlete Gerrard Gosens, who runs a chocolate business in Brisbane, Australia, may have the perfect solution