16 July 2014 

To further raise the profile of para-athletics, IPC Athletics has announced that the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix Final in Birmingham, Great Britain, will now take place one day earlier on Sunday the 24 August and will follow the IAAF Diamond League meet to create a full festival of athletics at the Alexander Stadium

In total there will be 20 para-athletics events on a packed programme which is set to take place in front of a 13,000 capacity crowd and shown live on the BBC.

A number of world and Paralympic champions are likely to line-up in Birmingham and many will be fresh from competing the IPC Athletics European Championships which takes place at Swansea University between 18-23 August.

Amongst the star-studded British athletes set to compete are 200m T42 world and Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead (coach: Keith Antoine), Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks), the 100m and 200m T34 world and Paralympic champion and the three-time world discus champion Dan Greaves (Jim Edwards).

Cockroft said: “I’m really excited to compete in front of another big home crowd at the Sainsbury’s IPC Grand Prix Final. Fans will get to see the best athletes from around the world in Olympic and Paralympic sport. It’s going to be a great occasion and I’m sure there will be some more records broken along the way.”

Dutch blade runner Marlou van Rhijn, the world’s fastest female leg amputee and 100m and 200m world champions, said: “I am really happy about it. It’s really cool. As the Grand Prix are evolving I think this is a good move to compete in front of a big crowd in a big stadium.”

Big name overseas athletes will Switzerland’s Marcel Hug – a winner of five world titles last year and huge rival of David Weir (Jenny Archer)  – and Tunisia’s four-time world champion wheelchair racer Walid Ktila. Brazil will be represented by multi world and Paralympic champion sprinter Lucas Prado and Terezinha Guilhermina, the world record holder over 100m, 200m and 400m T11.

People who have bought tickets for the Sainsbury’s IPC Grand Prix final will be issued with a full refund. 

Tickets for the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix on Sunday 24 August can be purchased here