Nottwil 2017: First Junior Worlds begin

The first World Para Athletics Junior Championships will get underway this Thursday (3 August) in Nottwil, Switzerland, with an Opening Ceremony followed by multiple men's and women's events.

Hong Kong´s Long Kei Fu will be one to look out for in the women's 200m T42-47 Junior (U20), while Great Britain's Amy Carr and Brazil's Suelen Oliveira will go head-to-head in the Youth (U18) equivalent.

The men's 200m T35-38 and T42-47 both Youth (U18) and Junior (U20) will also be contested.

Home crowd favourite Licia Mussinelli will run the women's 400m T51-54, but will need to be at her very best to beat two-time Youth Parapan American champion Lucia Montenegro of Argentina.

The USA are hoping to land gold in both the men's 400m T51-54 Junior (U20) and Youth (U18) through Philip Croft and Isaiah Rigo, and Miguel Jimenez-Vergara and Spencer Kimbro, respectively.

Ecuador's Damian Carcelen, who took silver at last month's World Championships London 2017, seeks to add another medal to his haul in the men's long jump T20 Junior (U20), in Nottwil.

Another top athlete competing on day one will be Colombia's Paralympic silver medallist Luis Lucumi, who will start as favourite for gold in the men´s shot put F35-38 Junior (U20).

Moreover, Thekra Alkaabi, Shaikha Sultan and Shamma Sultan all seek to give United Arab Emirates the first world title in the women's discus throw F32-34 Youth (U18).

Live stream will be provided on the International Paralympic Committee's website, World Para Athletics' website and Facebook page, and Nottwil 2017´s website

More information, including a full list of competitors, can be found on Nottwil 2017’s website.