13 June 2013

GB & NI are set to send a team of over 35 athletes to the International German Championships in Berlin on 14-16 June – the penultimate stage of the first ever IPC Athletics Grand Prix Series.  

Richard Whitehead (coach: Keith Antoine), who created one of the iconic images of London 2012 on his way to gold in the T42 200m will line up in the 100m and 200m, while fellow London 2012 gold medallist Josie Pearson (Anthony Hughes) will double up in the discus and shot put.

Aled Davies (Hughes), who broke the F44 shot put world record in May with a throw of 14.68m in Bedford, will be looking to continue his rich vein of form as the double Paralympic medallist headlines the shot put and discus fields.  

Davies said: “I always love going out to Berlin – I’ve got a great competitor out there in Frank Tinnemeier. He’s number two in the world at the moment and threw a massive lifetime best of 13.87m so it’s going to be good competition out there for me. I’ve never won in Berlin – I pulled out last year through injury and the year before I came third, so to come back with two golds a few season’s best if not personal bests, I’ll be happy.

“I know I’m capable of doing it (breaking the world record); I’m doing it all the time in training. But it’s the same for every athlete; you’ve got to be able to do it when it matters. Who knows, I might connect this weekend, but I’m definitely going to throw big this weekend, season’s best, personal best or a world record.”  

Four-time Paralympic medallist Dan Greaves (Jim Edwards) will star in the F44 discus, while London 2012 T36 200m bronze medallist Ben Rushgrove (Rob Ellchuk) will run in both the 100m and 200m in Berlin.

Graeme Ballard (Steve Thomas) a silver medallist in the T36 100m at London 2012 will face a busy weekend as he competes in the 100m, 200m and 400m, as will Paul Blake, who will step down to run in the T36 200m and the 400m, an event which he won silver in London last summer.

Libby Clegg (Keith Antoine) will also be looking to continue where she left off last year after winning silver in the T12 100m as she takes to the track for both the 100m and 200m.

A full startlist for the International German Championships is available here

Birmingham will close the inaugural IPC Athletics Grand Prix Series as the Sainsbury’s Athletics Grand Prix Final welcomes some of the world’s best stars including Hannah Cockroft, Jonnie Peacock and David Weir on Saturday 29 June. For more information click here