PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![Two male Para ice hockey players from Germany and Norway on ice](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Moose%20Jaw%202023%20-%20Germany%20v%20Norway.jpg)
World Championships B-Pool goes to Skien, Norway in 2024
Host nation to meet France, Germany, Great Britain, Kazakhstan and Sweden from 15 to 20 April next year Skien Fritidspark as the six nations play for two spots in the A-Pool Worlds in the following season
![A blind football match between Japan and China at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Three Japanese athletes wearing a blue jersey are trying to defend the ball from a Chinese athlete in a white jersey.](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Blind%20football%20Japan%20China%20at%20Tokyo%202020.jpg)
Sport programme announced for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, which will take place in Japan from 18-24 October 2026, will feature 18 sports, including Para athletics and Para swimming
![A man and a woman on the podium showing their gold medals](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Matera-Palomeque02.jpg)
Karen Palomeque and Douglas Matera win Panam Sports Awards
Brazilian swimmer and Colombian jumper and sprinter announced best athletes of the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games during ceremony in Miami alongside winners of the Pan American Games; Uzbekistan’s long jumper Asila Mirzayorova wins Asian Awards as Best Female Athlete
![Natalia Partyka](/sites/default/files/images/120124144828518_82816459.jpg)
Teenage and senior talent in Paralympics, a guaranteed headline-grabbing combination
Para table tennis player Natalia Partyka and Para shooter Libby Kosmala have the record as the youngest and oldest Paralympians in history, with 11 and 78 years of age, respectively
![A woman on a bench press in Para powerlifting competition](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Beata%20Jankowska.jpg)
Jankowska and Kraratpet shine at World Cup season finale in Nakhon Ratchasima
Poland top the medals table at the last World Cup of the 2023 season while host nation shine with four gold medals in front of the home crowd at the event which was part of the World Abilitysport Games in Thailand
![A female Para badminton player competes in a tournament.](/sites/default/files/2023-12/1%20Helle%20Sofie%20Sagoy%20badminton%20Norway%202.jpg)
Norway’s Para badminton star Sagoey has big expectations for Paralympic year
Helle Sofie Sagoey shares her New Year's resolutions, journey in Para sports and ultimate ambition of winning a medal in Paris 2024
![A male dancer in a wheelchair](/sites/default/files/2023-12/David%20Pimentel%20Pontes%20-%20Genoa%202022.jpg)
Genoa 2023 World Championships: Top six moments
Italian city hosted a dazzling Worlds that was highlighted by Laura del Sere and Andrea Barberis mesmerising the home crowd, David Pimentel Pontes putting Brazil on the top of the podium for the first time and outstanding performances from Philippines and South Korea
![Brad Snyder](/sites/default/files/2021-10/USA%E2%80%99s%20Brad%20Snyder.jpg)
Guides and assistants, the unsung heroes of Para sports
Former and current athletes and even family members had become guides and assistants for Para athletes, playing crucial roles in their success, both in summer or winter sports
![A rifle shooter in a wheelchair](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Abdulla%20Sultan%20Alaryani%20-%20Al%20Ain%202022.jpg)
Shooting Para sport stars looking to close the year in style at the Al Ain World Cup
World champion Tanguy de la Forest to lead France in final shooting Para sport event of the year while home star Abdulla Sultan Alaryani will be aiming for more glory at the World Cup, 20 nations will be represented by 82 athletes preparing to end 2023 in style
![Two women in wheelchairs next to a short stature woman on a podium at the Asian Para Games](/sites/default/files/2023-12/APG%20Thai%20Powerlifting.jpg)
Nakhon Ratchasima hosts World Cup season finale
Three-day event is part of the World Abilitysport Games featuring 68 athletes from 15 countries at the Liptapanlop Hall; Tokyo 2020 Paralympic medallists Enkhbayar Sodnompiljee from Mongolia and Louise Sugden from Great Britain among the main stars alongside medal hopeful Kamolpan Kraratpet who put Thailand on the podium at the Asian Para Games
![🔎 Most searched questions about disability - answered by Para athletes | Paralympic Games](/sites/default/files/styles/video_crop_16_9/public/oembed_thumbnails/TchKus2Rc9CuPxExLIMVnBCCiDTPVXEWqFt4Ua5DCzY.jpg?itok=kRHj5SLB)
Para athletes answer the web’s most searched questions about disability
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, discover Para athletes’ answers to some of the most asked questions on the Internet
![Two women's sitting volleyball teams playing at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. Two female players in yellow uniform are hitting the ball over the net, while two female players in red uniform are trying to block the ball.](/sites/default/files/2023-12/1%20Islamic%20Republic%20of%20Iran%2C%20sitting%20volleyball%20Rio.jpg)
Sitting volleyball athletes embrace “family” on court
Sitting volleyball is one of the 22 sports on the Paris 2024 Paralympic sports prorgramme. There will be eight teams each in the men's and women's tournaments
![An Airbnb banner with the IOC and IPC logos and a photograph of a woman](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Airbnb%202023.png)
Para athletes hail arrival of latest Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants
USD 2,000 travel and accommodation grants available. Applications are open at Athlete365 from 30 November to 20 December 2023
![Douglas Matera Brazil](/sites/default/files/2023-11/bestathletes1.jpg)
Brazilian Para swimmer led Santiago's 2023 performance chart with eight gold medals
Douglas Matera won the highest number of gold medals in the Parapan American Games with eight; Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago and Karol Palomeque shared the spotlight in the female side, with five each
![A man standing next to a screen showing his world record on an athletics field](/sites/default/files/2023-11/Sol%20Cuba.jpg)
Santiago 2023 Review: Robiel Sol and Paris champions break world records in Chile
Cuban jumper is one of the five Parapan Am Games winners to set new world marks at the Centro Atletico Mario Recordon with Brazil's Elizabeth Gomes and Samuel Oliveira leading the country to the top of the medals table, while Colombia's Jose Gregorio Lemos and Karen Palomeque continue their impressive run of titles
![Podium sweep for Philippines on the podium.](/sites/default/files/2023-11/Philippines%203.jpg)
Jun Obero’s triple gold show close Genoa 2023 World Championships
Jun Obero, de Asis propel Philippines to top of medals table while Kasicka-Solc take twin gold medals on final day at RDS Stadium Genova
![A male swimmer with a cap of Brazil celebrating in the pool](/sites/default/files/2023-11/Douglas%20Matera.jpg)
Santiago 2023 Review: Douglas Matera leads Brazil's gold medal rush in the pool
Brazilian swimmer participates in eight of his country's 66 victories in the Chilean capital, world champions Carlos Serrano, Nelson Crispin and Sara Vargas take Colombia to second place while USA's Paralympic champion Evan Austin makes successful return and Vicente Almonacid puts host nation on the top of the podium
![closing ceremony santiago 2023](/sites/default/files/2023-11/ceremonia2.jpg)
Santiago 2023 says farewell on a night filled with music, homages and camaraderie
The seventh edition of the Parapan American Games ended this 26 November with an emotion-packed closing ceremony
![A standing man hugging a woman in a wheelchair](/sites/default/files/2023-11/Dance%20Italy.jpg)
Genoa 2023 World Championships: Laura del Sere wins first gold for hosts Italy
The wheelchair dancer and her standing partner Barberis pull of surprise win while David Pontes clinches first Worlds title for Brazil on penultimate day
![osiris machado mexico](/sites/default/files/2023-11/records2.jpg)
Five world records and 300 Parapan American records set in Santiago 2023
Growth of Para sports in the Americas since Lima 2019 is tangible by the amount of new records imposed; the vast majority came from Para athletics and Para swimming