by Larry EderLondon Marathon continues to support every aspect of the sport of marathoning. Their support of the IPC World Marathon Championships is a case in point.
Tower Bridge, London Marathon, photo by PhotoRun.net
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LONDON TO HOST IPC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS MARATHON IN 2015
IPC Athletics, the international federation for para-athletics, and London Marathon Ltd announced today that the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon will host the IPC Athletics World Championships marathon events on Sunday 26 April 2015.
Although the IPC World Championships, the qualifying event for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, will be held in Doha in October 2015, IPC Athletics decided to switch the marathon events to London as it better suits the race schedules of the leading marathon racers.
Ryan Montgomery, Head of IPC Athletics, said: “Following the success of the IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup in London for the last two years, we are delighted that the British capital will stage the IPC Athletics Marathon World Championships next year.
“London has a superb track record for staging top class marathon events, as demonstrated each year and during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. We are very excited about staging this event in the city in 2015.
“In addition to world titles being up for grabs, the races next year will have added impetus as they will act as qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and for some sport classes be the last opportunity to secure their place in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.”
Virgin Money London Marathon Race Director, Hugh Brasher, said: “The London Marathon has a proud history of inclusivity; we see it as a vital part of our organisational aims to continue to promote and empower the world of Paralympic sport over the coming years.
“The 2012 London Paralympic Games showed the massive British public support for Paralympic sport. We are very pleased to continue working with the IPC to develop and raise the profile of the para-athletes in all categories.
“We would like London to continue to be centre stage in developing the sport of elite marathon running within all categories, and look forward to welcoming back the world’s top para-athletes to London in April 2015.”
After the huge success of the 2012 Paralympic Games, London was chosen by IPC Athletics to launch the first IPC Marathon World Cup in 2013 with events for para-athletes added to a race-day programme that had long included the London Marathon’s own wheelchair competitions.
Five IPC world records have been set at the two hugely successful IPC World Cups at the 2013 and 2014 Virgin Money London Marathons.
The 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon saw more than 70 para-athletes compete, with notable performances from the likes of El Amin Chentouf who retained his title in the T11-13 visually impaired men’s race, and Maria del Carmen Paredes Rodriguez who smashed the official world record in the women’s T11-13 race in a time of 2:59:22.
There will be six events open to both male and female competitors at the IPC World Championships marathon events at the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon:
• T11/T12 – for para-athletes with a severe visual impairment who run with a guide
• T13 – for para-athletes with a visual impairment meeting the minimum criteria
• T42/43/44 – for para-athletes with lower and upper leg impairments
• T45/46 – for para-athletes with lower and upper arm impairments
• T51/52 – wheelchair racers with activity limitation in both lower and upper limbs
• T53/54 – wheelchair racers with partial trunk and leg function
Each country can enter a maximum of six athletes into each event and each athlete must have made the minimum qualification standard or have been allocated a direct invitation.
The last marathon world titles were awarded in July 2013 as part of the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France.
Switzerland’s Marcel Hug, who won the Virgin Money London Marathon last year, won the men’s T53/54 race, whilst his compatriot Manuela Schaer won the women’s equivalent.
There were also gold medals for Chile’s Cristian Valenzuela in the men’s T11, Morocco’s El Amin Chentouf in the men’s T12 and Italy’s Alessando di Lello in the men’s T46 class.
The 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships will take place in Doha, Qatar, between 22 – 31 October.
For further information, please contact:
Lianne Hogan, London Marathon Communications Assistant – [email protected] or 0207 902 0182.
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