London Mascot Mandeville Visits Paralympic World Cup

The official Paralympic Mascot for the London 2012 Paralympic Games today has made a special visit to the 2010 BT Paralympic World Cup, currently taking place in Manchester, Great Britain.

Paralympic Mascot Mandeville appeared during the 'Super Friday' of the BT Paralympic World Cup starting in the morning on 28 May in the Manchester Regional Arena. Mandeville appeared in supporting the competition just a week after it was officially unveiled as the Paralympic Mascot for 2012.

Mandeville will be on hand to cheer on the athletes in Wheelchair Basketball and Football 7-a-Side.

Mandeville's name is inspired by Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. In the 1940s, Dr.Ludwig Guttmann came to Stoke Mandeville Hospital to set up a new spinal unit to help former soldiers suffering from spinal cord injuries. Looking for ways to inspire those in his care, he encouraged them to take up sport, leading to the formation of the Stoke Mandeville Games, widely recognised as a forerunner of the modern Paralympic movement.

The 2010 BT Paralympic World Cup is the largest annual multi-sport competition for athletes with a disability. Over 300 athletes from 31 countries are competing in Athletics, Football 7-a-Side, Wheelchair Basketball and Swimming. Competition continues through 31 May.

The BT Paralympic World Cup is sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Cerebral Palsy International Sports & Recreation Association (CPISRA) and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and supported by BT, ParalympicsGB, the FA, Manchester City Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).