Nottwil 2025 GP review: Five wins for Debrunner, five world records in Switzerland

It was all about wheelchair racing icon Catherine Debrunner as the World Para Athletics Grand Prix made a spectacular return to Nottwil in Switzerland in the weekend (23-25 May).

A total of 254 athletes from 40 countries across all continents were in action but Debrunner made sure to make it a special weekend for home fans clinching five gold medals – the same number of golds she won at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games - in the races she competed in Nottwil.

Using one of the world’s fastest wheelchair racing tracks to her advantage, Debrunner even improved her own world record mark by 00.05 en route to winning gold (15.20) in the women’s 100m T53 race. 

Her other victories came in the women’s 400m T53 (49.53), women’s 800m T53 (01:42.86), women’s 1500m T53 (03:16.43) and women’s 5000m T53-T54 (10:48.83).

Legendary racer Marcel Hug added to the local joy with three gold medals in the men’s 800 m T54 (01:30.03), men’s 1500m T53-T54 (02:54.06) and men’s 5000m T53-T54 (09:37.88). 

The home fans also witnessed another Paris 2024 medallist Elena Kratter in action who treated them with two golden moments in the women’s long jump T63 and women’s 100m T63. 

🦽💨 Speed, stars, and Swiss precision in 🇨🇭Nottwil!

📰 #Nottwil2025 GP Preview: Wheelchair racing legends Debrunner, Hug lead the charge 🔗 https://t.co/S4gVfQBNkg#ParaAthletics

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) May 22, 2025

More world records

It was a surely an action-packed weekend as four other world records were set in Nottwil.

Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medallist Paeng-Nuea Athiwat warned his rivals ahead of the World Championships with a record-breaking show in the men’s 100m T54. Athiwat bettered his own world record clocking 13.62 for the gold.

He settled for the second place in the 400m race finishing behind Great Britain’s Kobe 2024 silver medallist Nathan Maguire (45.55). 

Poland had more than one reason to celebrate in Nottwil. Kobe 2024 gold medallist Magdalena Andruszkiewicz finished the women’s 200m T72 race in 34.89 for a new world record, while compatriot Krzyzek Artur secured the gold with a world record effort of 21.96 in the men’s 100m T71 race.

In field events, the world record mark was attained by India’s emerging star Mahendra Gurjar who hurled his javelin to 61.17m in his third attempt for the gold and a world record in the men’s javelin F42. He also took gold in the men’s long jump T42. 

Among others, India’s two-time Paralympic champion javelin thrower Sumit Antil added another gold to his collection with a throw 72.35m in the men’s javelin F64 - possibly keeping his best for his home nation’s first ever World Championships this September.

Argentina’s Paris 2024 champion Impellizzeri Brian Lionel leaped to gold (6.33m) in the men’s long jump T37 gold medal. 

Tight battles

Some intriguing battles and old rivalries were also renewed in Nottwil as Thailand’s Chaiwat Rattana (01:40.45) overcame reigning Paralympic champion Austin Smeenk (01:40.80) from Canada to take the gold in the men’s 800m T34 race.

Rattana went on to stamp his dominance in the men’s 100 m T34, a race that fetched him his first Paralympic gold in Paris. He finished the race in 14.56 for an Asian record ahead of Australia’s Paris 2024 medallist McCracken Rheed (00:14.70).

The Thai racer also maintained his lead over Rheed and Smeenk winning his third gold medal in Nottwil – the men’s 400m T34 in 48.49. Smeenk though secured a gold for Canada winning the men’s 1500m T34 (03:16.69).

Thailand’s most successful Paralympian ever with six gold medals, Pongsakorn Paeyo made it two out of three events winning the men’s 100m T53 and 400m T53, in which he is took a third consecutive Paralympic gold last year. 

In the men's 800m, Pongsakorn (01:33.78) had to settle for the silver behind Paris 2024 champion Brent Lakatos from Canada (01:32.49). 

Hannah Cockroft delivers a time of 55:57 for the women's T34 400m 👏

Fabienne André follows with a time of 1:05.90.

📸 1: Tobias Lackner pic.twitter.com/De6anHHykQ

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) May 25, 2025

Women’s contest

In women’s events, USA’s Tatyana McFadden, an eight-time Paralympic champion in Para athletics, pulled off impressive results clinching two gold medals in the women’s 100m T54 and 400m T54 races. 

In the 100m, she surprised reigning Paralympic champion Lea Bayekula finishing 00.33s quicker than the Belgian. Bayekula, however, compensated by clocking an European record of 27.77 for the women’s 200m T54 gold. 

Another wheelchair icon in action over the weekend was Great Britain’s nine-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft who lived up to her billing with triple gold – in the women’s 100m T34 (16.98), women’s 400m T34 (55.57) and women’s 800m T34 (01:52.36). 

You can once again watch all sessions from the Nottwil 2025 World Para Athletics Grand Prix live here. 

Complete results from the Grand Prix can be found here.

What’s next?

After the record-breaking show in Nottwil, the Grand Prix will head to Paris (France) and to Africa for the Tunis GP (Tunisia).

Olomouc in Czechia will host the final Grand Prix of the season - first-ever All-women Grand Prix in early July.