PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![Man in a sledge, playing hockey on the ice](/sites/default/files/images/150903172056388_liam_hickeyoriginal_327968.jpg)
Hickey swaps court for rink in bid for PyeongChang 2018
Fresh from silver-medal success in wheelchair basketball at Toronto 2015, Liam Hickey is hoping to make his Team Canada dreams a reality again.
![Mariska Beijer](/sites/default/files/images/130515135149126_15146119.jpg)
IWBF Euros: Dutch hand Germany first loss
The defending European women’s champions defeated the London 2012 Paralympic champions on day six.
![Man in wheelchair doing a dancing pose](/sites/default/files/images/150730164658489_DSC_8135.jpg)
First IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Cup to get underway
Hungary will enter their first competition being held in St. Petersburg alongside athletes from nearly 20 countries.
![Michael McKillop, Stef Reid and Scott Reardon.](/sites/default/files/images/150903100151488_FotorCreated5.jpg)
Keeping it in the family: Para-athletes with strong family bonds
Find out family connections for Michael McKillop, Scott Reardon and Stef Reid are spurring them on to even greater things.
![Jason Smyth, the fastest Paralympic athlete on the planet.](/sites/default/files/images/150903084742532_jason%2Bsmyth_0.jpg)
Jason Smyth, the Usain Bolt of the Paralympic Games, out to win sixth gold at Rio 2016
Irishman, the fastest para-athlete of all time, in Brazil to help celebrate one year until the Games.
![David Brown trains with his guide Jerome Avery in Urca.](/sites/default/files/images/170202125037547_David-Brown-training.jpg)
World’s fastest para-athletes prepare for battle royale in Rio
Unprecedented race will bring together runners with different types of disability in celebration of one year until the Paralympic Games.
![Wheelchair athlete on the track](/sites/default/files/images/150114170132581_151213412.jpg)
Face of the future: Australia’s Rheed McCracken
The T34 wheelchair racer talks about the influence of Kurt Fearnley and how he is aiming to win his first world title this October.
![Vinicius and Tom, mascots for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.](/sites/default/files/images/150622121757680_Vincius%2Band%2BTom%2BRIO.jpg)
Festival to celebrate one year to go until Rio 2016
The two-day festival will include a race to define the world’s fastest sprinter, plus a rival football match between Brazil and Argentina.
![Two athletes doing taekwondo](/sites/default/files/images/150507103553701_taekwondo_3.jpg)
What to watch: September 2015
Five World Championships events in para-sport will be scattered throughout this month, along with four regional Championships.
![Collage of five athlete photos](/sites/default/files/images/150902154046376_AotM%2BAugust%2B2015.jpg)
Vote now for the Allianz Athlete of the Month – August 2015
The public has until 9 September to vote for their favourite from the five candidates.