17 March 2016

The second IPC Athletics Grand Prix gets underway in Dubai today as a number of para-athletes continue their start to the 2016 season.

On the opening day of action, double F46 javelin world champion Hollie Arnold (coach: Anthony Hughes) will be one of the leading names competing in the United Arab Emirates. She competes in the javelin after opening her season with a 38.43m throw in Dubai on Monday.

Kyron Duke (Hughes), fresh from a personal best in the F41 shot put at the Sharjah International Open Meeting earlier in the week, will be another to watch out for in the javelin on day one. Three-time Paralympic champion Stephen Miller (Rosalynd Miller) is also in action, taking on the F32 club throw after a throw of 26.46m on three days ago. World bronze medallist in the women’s equivalent Abbie Hunnisett (Hughes) is looking for another solid performance at this early stage on the season.  

Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson) (F20 shot put) and Joshua Bain (Paul Welch) (F37 Discus) are also in field event action on day one.

On the track, world finalist Zac Shaw (Joe McDonnell) goes in the T13 100m after seeing rapid improvements in Doha last October. Rhys Jones (Christian Malcolm) is on the start list for the T37 100m, with Erin McBride (Robert Roberts) taking on the women’s T13 100m. Katrina Hart (Rob Ellchuk) and Sophie Kamlish (Ellchuk) go in the T37/38 and T42/44 100m respectively. IWAS Juniors gold medallist Polly Maton (Colin Baross) is another 100m entrant in the T46 classification.

Later in the four day competition, three-time world champion in the T36 400m and 800m Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk) will be competing and many athletes will return to the stadium in additional events.

A comprehensive report and results will be available on the IPC Athletics website after each session. https://www.paralympic.org/athletics/grand-prix-2016/8th-fazaa-international-athletics-competition

There will be a full report on the British Athletics website on Monday morning.