20 March 2012

Dan Greaves (Jim Edwards), who recorded a new F44 discus World Record (at the time) of 59.27m at the BT Paralympic World Cup (BTPWC) 12 months ago, returns to Manchester’s Sport City for this year’s event on Tuesday 22 May with realistic aspirations of a throw in excess of 60m.

The three-time World Champion, who broke his own World Record on three occasions last year – most significantly when exceeding his Manchester mark with a new 59.85m global best at the US Paralympic Championships in Florida – opened his 2012 campaign with an impressive indoor World best of 57.56m at the unique Vaxjo World Indoor Throwing meet in Sweden.

"It’s great to be part of the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for this event in such an important year,” says Greaves, who has broken the F44 discus World Record at the BTPWC on three occasions in recent years. “The BT Paralympic World Cup gives me the best possible opportunity to compete against my rival athletes ahead of London 2012, not only on home soil but in front of home support and friends and family too. It’s also one of my favourite places to throw, and I’m hoping to continue my WR breaking form this year in my final preparations for the Paralympic Games."

Joining Greaves in the 24-strong Aviva GB & NI team for the event is fellow World Record holder and T42 200m World Champion Richard Whitehead (Liz Yelling/Keith Antoine).

Multi-talented Whitehead, an equally brilliant endurance athlete with a marathon best of 2:42.54, has made huge gains on the track in the past 18 months and clocked a 200m World Record of 25.69 (-0.9m/s) at the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace last summer.

"Since then (Crystal Palace) I’ve been working hard with Keith (Antoine) to build up my sprint training and I feel in better shape now than pre-World Record," says Whitehead. "I’m doing so much more on the track than I’ve ever done before but I’m maintaining a weekly mileage of around 40 miles which I feel benefits me; it was the foundation of my success at the World Championships and I don’t want to lose that."

"A lot of that track work has been about going back to basics. I was known to have a bit of a kamikaze style and I’m now looking to be more controlled with more efficient running mechanics. I’m really looking forward to getting out there in front of that crowd in Manchester. It should give me a good performance indicator for the next few months."

Also breaking World Records in 2011, T34 Hannah Cockroft (Peter Eriksson) and F57 Nathan Stephens (Anthony Hughes) will compete in the T34 100m and F55/56/57/58 seated javelin respectively in Manchester, and will add experience to a team which includes a number of exciting developing athletes including T44 sprinter Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk) who will line up in the T42/43/44 100m and 200m; F57 thrower Derek Derenelagi (Alison O’Riordan) who will compete in the F55/56/57/58 seated javelin; and T54 wheelchair racing duo Will Smith (Jenny Archer) and Georgina Oliver (Paul Moseley) who will race in the T53/54 100m and 400m.

Peter Eriksson, Aviva GB&NI Team Leader, said: "Everyone has been working hard over the winter to be in the best possible shape moving into this Paralympic Games year and we’re all excited about getting out there to compete.

"The BT Paralympic World Cup is an important competition in our schedule, because in addition to giving an opportunity to our more experienced athletes to lay down some markers against top quality opposition, it’s a great chance for some of our developing athletics to experience world class international competition as they look further down to the line to Rio 2016."

The BT Paralympic World Cup is the largest annual international multi-sport competition in elite disability sport and will once again be broadcast by Channel 4. For more information about Channel 4’s Paralympic coverage, visit: www.channel4.com/paralympics.

The event schedule will see the Manchester Regional Arena host all events, starting with Athletics on 22 May, followed by Wheelchair Basketball and Football 7-a-side on 23-26 May. The Boccia match will be staged on 24 May and the Sitting Volleyball international match will be held on 25 May.

Tickets for the BT Paralympic World Cup are now on sale and we are pleased to announce that you are entitled to exclusive 25% discount tickets, simply use the promotional code UKATK to redeem your discount www.btparalympicworldcup.com. Don’t miss out on your chance to experience greatness! Remember to sign up to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with all things BT PWC.

Aviva GB & NI Team

Jonathan Adams (Jim Edwards): F32/33/34 Shot Putt

Graeme Ballard (Steve Thomas): T36 100/200m

Mickey Bushell (Fred Periac): T53/54 100m/400m

Richard Chiassaro (Ken Day): T53/54 100m

Libby Clegg (Keith Antoine): T11/12 100/200m

Hannah Cockroft (Peter Eriksson): T34 100m

Aled Davies (Anthony Hughes): F42/44 Discus

Derek Derenalagi (Alison O’Riordan): F55/56/57/58 Seated Javelin

Dan Greaves (Jim Edwards): F42/44 Discus

Katrina Hart (Rob Ellchuk): T37 100/200m

Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk): T42/43/44 100/200m

Jenny McLoughlin (Darrell Maynard): T37 100/200m

Georgina Oliver (Paul Moseley): T53/54 100/400m

Jonnie Peacock (Dan Pfaff): T42/43/44 100/200m

Stef Reid (Keith Antoine): T42/43/44 100/200m

Ben Rushgrove (Rob Ellchuk): T36 100/200m

Will Smith (Jenny Archer): T53/54 100/400m

Nathan Stephens (Anthony Hughes): F55/56/57/58 Seated Javelin

Anne Strike (Ken Day): T53/54 100/800m

Owain Taylor (Anthony Hughes):F55/56/57/58 Seated Javelin

David Weir (Jenny Archer): T53/54 400/800m

Dan West (Jim Edwards): F32/33/34 Shot Putt

Richard Whitehead (Liz Yelling/Keith Antoine): T42/43/44 100/200m

Bethy Woodward (Jonas Dodoo): T37 100/200m