BT Paralympic World Cup next week in Britain, 174 medalists to compete

From the BT Paralympics World Cup Web site:

Competing in their first major multi-sport international test since the Paralympic Games, 174 Paralympic medallists from around the world will be looking to continue the impressive form they showed in Beijing as they arrive in Britain to compete at the BT Paralympic World Cup.

The BT Paralympic World Cup will be the first competition in the UK for elite athletes with a disability in the four years cycle leading up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games and is a great opportunity to begin their 2012 journey.

Beijing double cycling champion Sarah Storey, competing in the individual pursuit and the time trial in Manchester, leads a strong British contingent who will compete across four sports: track cycling, swimming, athletics and wheelchair basketball.

Storey said, “We continue to push the boundaries of performance and as a result the BT Paralympic World Cup is so important to us. It gives us a great focus at the start of the season and it’s so important to challenge ourselves against the best in the world. Plus it’s on our doorstep so it’s always a really special event.”

Manchester will play host to an impressive 63 medallists competing in the Manchester Velodrome, 61 medallists swimming at the Manchester Aquatics Centre, the men’s gold and bronze medal-winning teams contesting the wheelchair basketball (Australia and Great Britain) and BT Ambassador Oscar Pistorius will be one of the 30 medallists taking to the track and field at the Manchester Regional Arena.

President of the International Paralympic Committee Sir Phillip Craven MBE said, “After an incredible series of high level events at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Paralympians will come to Manchester for one of the biggest multi-sport competitions this year.

“The 2009 BT Paralympic World Cup once again sets the stage for record athletic performances on an elite level, and ultimately inspires and excites Paralympic fans around the world.”

ParalympicsGB Chief Executive Phil Lane added, “It is fantastic that so many of our Paralympians from the Beijing Games will be competing in Manchester.

“The BT Paralympic World Cup is one of the few multi-sport events outside the Paralympic Games, so it provides an excellent opportunity for British competitors to experience a multi-sport environment. I’m sure they are looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd, and I hope that many people will seize the opportunity to come along and support the British competitors.”

The BT Paralympic World Cup is the first major multi-sport elite disability event to be staged in the UK ahead of London 2012 and major international stars and a strong British contingent are expected.

The competition will be staged in Manchester from 20-25 May, with over 400 competitors from over 31 countries scheduled to compete.

Athletes will compete in four sports at world class competition venues in Manchester: wheelchair basketball and athletics hosted at the Manchester Regional Arena, swimming at the Manchester Aquatics Centre and track cycling at the Manchester Velodrome.

The BT Paralympic World Cup is held in association with ParalympicsGB and is sanctioned by the IPC, the UCI and the IWBF.

The BBC, the official televised partner to the event, will broadcast live from the Manchester Aquatics Centre on Monday 25 May 2009 on BBC Television.