6th November 2019

DAY ONE OF THE WPA CHAMPS IS ON THE HORIZON

The World Para Athletics Championships get underway on Thursday 7 November in Dubai and the British team of 41 athletes are ready to represent the country on the global stage.

On day one, Richard Chiassaro (coach: Jenni Banks; club: Harlow) and Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Kirkby) will be kicking off the action in the men’s T54 100m heats [start at 06:48 UK time / 10:48 Dubai time]. It’s the start of a busy campaign for the duo, and they will return during the evening session for the semi-finals if they progress through from the heats.

Reigning Paralympic T36 400m champion, Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk; Dorchester), goes in the 800m final on the first evening session of the Championships [17:50 / 21:50]. A two-time world champion over the distance from 2013 and 2015, Blake returns to the fold after missing the Europeans last season, taking a break away from the sport.

Blake – who still holds the Championship Record – commented: “For me it is kind of difficult because I’m always ‘go, go, go’ and always want to be doing something, but I felt as though I needed that proper break because I had already achieved what I had wanted to achieve throughout the latter seasons.

“It’s always tough coming back from such a long break, getting that mental aspect of waking up and training again. But knowing you are going to a major championship, it makes it that bit more exciting to see what I can produce.”

Double world champion Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin; Red Star) begins her competition in the T53 100m heats [16:29 / 20:29], the event in which she grabbed the gold medal in London two years ago.

The Scot returns to the British team following a down time from competition post Commonwealth Games in 2018. She is raring to go as she is set to put on the British vest for the first time since London 2017.

Kinghorn said: “I’m so excited. I don’t think anyone can really appreciate that feeling of putting on the GB & NI vest. It’s something I never expected to be doing when I was a child. So to be here again with a chance of going for gold again and singing the national anthem on the podium, it really takes my breath away every single time.”

In the men’s equivalent, world T53 100m silver medallist, Mickey Bushell (Rick Hoskins; Birchfield), takes to the track in the heats during the evening session [16:19 / 20:19]. Bushell, the Paralympic champion at the Games in London seven years ago, will be competing in his fourth world championships in the United Arab Emirates.

Viewers in the UK can watch the World Para Athletics Championships on the Channel 4 Paralympic website: https://paralympics.channel4.com – the live stream will start from 05:30 on Thursday 7 November.

The British Athletics team for the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai to be held between 7-15 November 2019:

Women:

Kare Adenegan (Job King; Coventry) – T34 100m & 800m

Hollie Arnold (David Turner; Blackheath & Bromley) – F46 Javelin

Martina Barber (Paddy O’Shea; Stevenage & North Herts) – T20 Long Jump

Olivia Breen (Aston Moore; City of Portsmouth) – T38 Long Jump & 100m

Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat / Shona Malcolm; Forth Flyers) – F51 Club Throw

Lydia Church (Jim Edwards; Nene Valley) – F12 Shot Put

Libby Clegg (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) [Guide Runner: Thomas Somers (Benke Blomkvist; Newham & Essex Beagles)] – T11 200m & Universal 4x100m relay

Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks; Leeds) – T34 100m & 800m

Kadeena Cox (Matt Cullen; Sale Harriers Manchester) – T38 200m & 400m

Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson; Deeside AAC) – F20 Shot Put

Kayleigh Haggo (Ian Mirfin; Red Star) – RR3 100m

Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste; Charnwood) – T38 100m, 200m & Universal 4x100m relay

Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk; Bristol & West) – T64 100m

Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin; Red Star) – T53 100m & Universal 4x100m relay

Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie; Team East Lothian) – T35 100m & 200m

Anna Nicholson (Richard Kaufman; Gateshead) – F35 Shot Put

Ellie Simpson (Jessica Davidson; Sheffield & Dearne) – RR3 100m

Ali Smith (Chris Zah; Guildford & Godalming) – T38 100m, 400m & Universal 4x100m relay

Hannah Taunton (Charlotte Fisher; Taunton) – T20 1500m

Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan; Enfield & Haringey) – F34 Shot Put

 

Men:

Ola Abidogun (Grant Barker; Horwich) – T47 100m & Universal 4x100m relay

Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk; Dorchester) – T36 400m & 800m

Jonathan Broom-Edwards (Graham Ravenscroft; Newham & Essex Beagles) – T64 High Jump

Mickey Bushell (Rick Hoskins; Birchfield) – T53 100m and Universal 4x100m relay

Richard Chiassaro (Jenni Banks; Harlow) – T54 100m, 400m, 800m & 1500m

Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer-Jones; Cardiff) – F63 Shot Put

Gavin Drysdale (Ian Mirfin; Red Star) – RR3 100m

Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes; DSW Para Academy) – F41 Shot Put

Jordan Howe (Kevin Williams; DSW Para Academy) – T35 100m

Harri Jenkins (Anthony Hughes; DSW Para Academy) – T33 100m

Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Kirkby AC) – T54 100m, 400m, 800m & Universal 4x100m relay

Owen Miller (Steven Doig; Fife) – T20 1500m

Ben Rowlings (Ian Mirfin; Coventry) – T34 100m, 400m & 800m

Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller; Bournemouth) – T63 Long Jump & T61 200m

Zak Skinner (Aston Moore; Loughborough Students) – T13 Long Jump & Universal 4x100m relay

Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins; Stockport) – T33 100m

Rafi Solaiman (Philip Fleetwood; Sheffield & Dearne) – RR3 100m

Isaac Towers (Peter Wyman; Kirkby AC) – T34 400m & 800m

Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine; Southwell) – T61 200m

Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) – T38 100m