Grand Prix 2024: Superstar Season heads to Jesolo

It’s Superstar Season in World Para Athletics, and Jesolo seems like the perfect location for the next chapter of what will be a phenomenal 2024.

With the latest Grand Prix upcoming in Italy (22-24 March), the names are confirmed, and the story is ready to be continued with a star-studded cast. 

Putting on a show at home!

We’ve had some household names compete already this season. In the opening event of the year, the likes of Catherine Debrunner, Marcel Hug and Tatyana McFadden all appeared in Dubai. Last time out in Tunis, Paralympic champions including Abdeslam Hili made statements.

And Jesolo will be no exception. In a who’s who of Tokyo 2020 medallists, let’s begin with some of those home favourites who are already confirmed. 

For Italy, prepare for some perfect poses as the Charlie’s Angels of the sporting world do battle once again on home soil. The iconic T63 trio of Ambra Sabatini, Martina Caironi and Monica Contrafatto are all confirmed to be taking part, with Caironi looking to build not only on her Tokyo silver, but also her long jump gold medal at the World Championships last year in Paris. 

Maxcel Amo Manu is another who all eyes will be on. The true sensation of Paris 2023, he’ll renew what is a thrilling rivalry with Costa Rica’s Sherman Guity in the T64 across both 100m and 200m. The reigning gold and silver World medallists are going to put on a real show.

International appeal

The United States are bringing the firepower to Jesolo. Spearheaded by reigning World and Paralympic T47 high jump champion Roderick Townsend, their small but mighty team of four individuals all arrive with hopes of continuing their Kobe preparations. Also starring will be Tokyo medallist and one of the faces of the Paralympic Movement, Hunter Woodhall.

And with 55 other nations competing, each will be aiming to leave Jesolo by setting their stalls out ahead of a mammoth next six months.

Representing South America, both Brazil’s Ricardo Gomes (T37 100m and 200m world champion) and Ecuador’s Kiara Rodriguez (T47 100m and long jump world champion) will make the journey to Europe intent on leaving with more medals to their absolutely stacked collection. 

From India, the iconic and beloved Sandeep Chaudhary will be putting in his final preparations right now for another T64 javelin success. Ajeet Singh will be doing the same, hoping for a F46 in the same competition.

History-makers 

The Paralympic Movement has taken quite the journey in the past 25 years, and there will be one man in Jesolo who has seen every second of it. Sydney 2000 was the first Games for Thomas Geierspichler, and he’s far from done yet. An eight-time Paralympic and three-time World medallist, Geierspichler has won everything there is to win across the T52 world. He’ll have ambitions of adding to the portfolio in Jesolo.

And one nation who isn’t spoken about quite so much at the major events is that of Mauritius. The island nation doesn’t have the history of Paralympic or World medals in our sport, but Noemi Alphonse is a woman who is changing all of that perception.

Having picked up a simply stunning silver in the T54 100m and a brilliant bronze for the 400m at the Paris World Championships last year, what could follow in the coming months may just make the world take even more notice. Noemi will be here for this one, and a nation will be anticipating the next stepping stone in their rise to become a Games force.

How can you follow?

As with all our Grand Prix competitions, you will be able to follow the action along from home. We will have live streams of every second in Jesolo across our Facebook page, as well as bringing some of the biggest moments on our channels during competition.

You will be able to follow live results too! Keep an eye on all World Para Athletics social media channels for more of the build-up ahead of the opening day.

What will be next?

From Jesolo we head to Xalapa, Mexico for the fourth Grand Prix of the year, before a stint over in Marrakech provides the last step in the build up to the Kobe 2024 World Para Athletics Championships.