18 March 2017 

Eight Paralympic medallists are among the Britons who will begin their 2017 season at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai, starting on Monday 20 March through to Thursday.

Sophie Hahn (coach: Joe McDonnell) will look to build on a year in which she captured her first Paralympic title with gold in the T38 100m, and will take on compatriot Kadeena Cox (Brian Scobie) who made her own piece of history by winning gold in two sports in Rio, both athletics and cycling.

Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat / Shona Malcolm), the F51 club throw world record holder and reigning Paralympic, world and European champion, holds every accolade in the sport, and will kick start her 2017 season in the Middle East. She will contend with the ever improving Kylie Grimes (Phil Peat) who narrowly missed out on a medal in Rio, and she will be hoping to make the necessary improvements to reach the podium in London at the World Para Athletics Championships this summer.

Two world records, two golds and a relay silver to add to the collection – Rio was quite the hunting ground for Georgie Hermitage (Paul McGregor) who dominated the T37 100m and 400m races. The Hampshire-based athlete will be looking for more of the same this year with Dubai acting as a good starting point.

Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk), soon to receive his MBE, is due to compete in the T36 400m and 800m over the four days, the former been his crowning glory in Rio, when he won his first Paralympic gold.

Jonathan Broom-Edwards (Fuzz Caan) has enjoyed silver success at every major championship, and he will be looking to continue the entertaining battles with Maciej Lepiato throughout the year, but will be seeking the gold this time around. Sadly his Polish rival won’t be competing in Dubai but the Loughborough-based athlete has already jumped 2.13m this year, so will be looking to lay down another strong marker to his rivals.

Fresh from winning his sixth Paralympic medal in 2016, Stephen Miller (Ros Miller) goes once again, 21 years after he won his first Paralympic medal in Atlanta. He goes in the F32 club throw in his first competition of the season with the main opposition coming from the Algerian cohort of athletes.

Triple Paralympic medallist Maria Lyle (Ryan Freckleton) goes in the T35 100m and 200m whilst T44 100m world record holder Sophie Kamlish (Ellchuk) is also in action. There are a number of other Britons competing across the four days of action in Fazaa.

Results will be available via the following link shortly after the events from Monday to Thursday: http://www.team-thomas.org/

There will be daily reports on the British Athletics website.