DOHA — Some 1,400 athletes from almost 100 countries are expected in Doha for the IPC 2015 World Championships, which organizers say they “fully expect to be the best ever.”
The paralympics competition begins Thursday and lasts for 10 days. All 70 hours of action will be streamed live on the IPC’s website.
The biennial championships are the last major gathering of track and field paralympic stars before next year’s Olympics, and as well as gold medals in Qatar there are also qualifying slots to be won for Rio 2016.
In total, there are 214 medal events across 15 disciplines. Some 350 athletes will use a wheelchair.
Philip Craven, the IPC president who claimed these could be the best world championships, said that he expected athletes in Qatar to compete “perhaps more fiercely than they ever have done before.”
It is the sixth time the event has been held and these are notably the first world championships to be hosted in the Middle East.
Among the most anticipated events is the 100m T44 final which could see world record holder Jarryd Wallace race against US compatriot, and former record holder, Richard Browne.
The T44 event is for athletes with a single below the knee amputation or who have restricted function in one or both legs.
Wallace and Browne are among an 84-strong team travelling to Qatar from the United States, which is looking to go one better in the medal table than at the last world championships, held in Lyon.
In France, Russia topped the medal table with 26 golds to the USA’s 17.
In the women’s events, the main star is set to be the Netherlands’ Marlou van Rhijn.
The sprint star will celebrate her 24th birthday on the opening day of competition and is in great form.
Already this year she has lowered her T43 (double below knee amputation) 100m record and created three personal bests at 200m throughout 2015.
Van Rhijn though will defend her T44 100m and 200m world titles in Doha which she won in Lyon. Born without lower legs, she is one of the biggest names in the sport.
Local interest should come in the shape of Qatari shot-putter Abdelrahman Abdelqader, an Asian Games winner and world ranked No. 1.
The event will be held at the 12,000-seater Qatar Sports Club Suhaim Bin Hamam Stadium in central Doha.
The track was the same venue for an IAAF Diamond League meet earlier year, where runners included Justin Gatlin and Mo Farah.
