Nottwil 2026 GP: World records fall as Debrunner dazzles with five home‑soil wins

Thrilling races and record-breaking performances marked three days of incredible action in Nottwil, the fourth stop of the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix season, held from 21-23 May.

More than 450 athletes (297 men and 157 women) from 58 countries across all continents gathered in Switzerland, with Paralympic stars - including Paris 2024 champions - delivering standout performances and several world* and continental records.

Swiss icon shines at home

Among the many athletes who impressed during the three-day GP, six-time Paralympic champion Catherine Debrunner once again underlined her status as one of wheelchair racing’s greats by winning five of the six events she contested on home soil.

Debrunner set the tone early for the home crowd, opening her campaign with a world record* on her way to gold in the women’s 200m T53.

Her winning time of 26.44 also improved the previous mark she had set in Nottwil four years ago.

"It was great fun competing in front of a home crowd and friends. Of course, I'm delighted that I was able to achieve so many victories. I train every day for all of this," Debrunner said.

The Swiss star continued her dominance in the women’s 400m and 800m T53, finishing ahead of Chinese wheelchair racing great Zhou Hongzhuan in both events. Zhou also clocked a season-best 53.72 in the women’s 100m T53.

Debrunner came within three thousandths of a second away of a sixth win, finishing just behind Bermuda’s Lewis Jessica Cooper in a neck-to-neck women’s 100m T53 - Copper clocked 15.218 and Debrunner 15.220.

 "Such a thrilling race shows how competitive the field is among the women right now. None of us can take top finishes for granted, every race requires full commitment. It's wonderful that we can offer the public such high-level athletics," a please Debrunner added.

In the women’s 1500m T53-T54, the world record holder maintained her commanding form with a winning time of 3:03.65 - her second-fastest ever - ahead of USA’s eight-time Paralympic champion Tatyana McFadden.

McFadden also secured a continental record in the T54 category with 3:04.49. Fourteen wheelchair racers recorded season-best times in the event.

The five-time Paris 2024 gold medallist also remained unbeaten in the women’s 5000m T53, finishing ahead of China’s two-time Paralympic champion Zhou Zhaoqian and McFadden.

A spectacular day one in the heart of Switzerland that has already lived up to all expectations! Can’t wait for tomorrow! 🤩🇨🇭

📸 Tobias Lackner#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/O72R5jJNrh

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) May 21, 2026

More world records

The women’s 800m T54 proved to be McFadden’s campaign highlight as she produced a world record* performance. Her time of 1:41.14 improved the previous record set by Switzerland’s Manuela Schaer in Nottwil seven years ago.

McFadden also claimed gold in the women’s 400m T54 and silver in the women’s 100m T54 with a season-best 15.37 - 0.01 behind first place Amanda Kotaja of Finland.

Uzbekistan’s 20-year-old Mukhtorova Madina also enjoyed a memorable competition after producing a world record* in the women’s discus throw F40.

Her throw of 25.58m surpassed the previous mark of 25.19m held by Poland’s Renata Sliwinska from Warsaw 2024.

World records* were also set in frame running classes T71 and T72. Poland’s Bartosz Wolos improved the men’s 100m T71 record with 20.41, surpassing compatriot Artur Krzyzek’s previous mark set earlier this year.

Italy’s Carlo Fabio Marcello Calcagni also lowered his own world record in the men’s 100m T72, clocking 14.61 in the event set to make its Paralympic debut at LA28.

3 days with the best on and off the track, thank you Nottwil! 🫶🇨🇭

📸 Tobias Lackner#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/fhd29qoizq

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) May 23, 2026

Thailand’s domination

Thailand’s Paralympic icon Paeyo Pongsakorn opened his season in style with a world record* performance in the men’s 200m T53. His winning time of 24.89 broke the nine-year-old mark previously held by Canada's Brent Lakatos.

Thailand’s most decorated Paralympian with six gold medals, Pongsakorn also secured a continental record in the men’s 800m T53 with 1:31.96, defeating Paris 2024 champion and world record holder Lakatos (1:32.27).

The 29-year-old added silver in the men’s 100m T53-T54, where fellow Thai and multiple-time Paralympic medallist Paeng-Nuea Athiwat stormed to gold in a new world record* time of 13.54 - improving the record he had set at the same venue last year.

Paeng-Nuea later added another gold in the men’s 200m T54, while Pongsakorn secured bronze in the men’s 400m T53-T54 won by China’s double Paris 2024 champion Jin Hua in 44.27.

Wheelchair races deliver surprises

Several other men’s wheelchair races also produced memorable moments.

China’s two-time world champion Wang Yang emerged as the surprise winner of the men’s 800m T34, crossing the line in 1:36.51 ahead of Tunisia’s five-time Paralympic champion Walid Ktila, Thailand’s Chaiwat Rattana, and Canada’s Paris 2024 gold medallist Austin Smeenk, who finished fifth. Wang also claimed gold in the men’s 200m T34. 

The results were reversed in the men’s 400m T34, where reigning Paralympic champion Rattana took victory in 49.04 ahead of Wang and Smeenk. The Canadian later bounced back to win the men’s 1500m T34.

Rattana also maintained his dominance in the men’s 100m T34, clocking 14.73 to finish ahead of world record holder Ktila.

China’s Liu Yang also delivered one of the standout performances of the meeting by winning the men’s 800m T54 ahead of several Paralympic stars, including Jin Hua and Swiss favourite Marcel Hug.

Another surprise came in the men’s 5000m T53-T54, where Jin ended Hug’s dominance with a season-best 9:27.02.

The heat is on! Intense sun, intense races for Day 2 in Nottwil! ☀️

📸 Tobias Lackner#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/jImRBlXXy2

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) May 22, 2026

Other standout performances

USA’s four-time Paralympic silver medallist Brittni Mason claimed double gold in the women’s 100m and 200m T46.

Multiple-time Paralympic champion Fleur Jong (women’s 100m T62) and Tokyo 2020-star Ambra Sabatini (women’s 100m T63) – both world record holders – also reached the podium in their respective events.

Finland’s four-time world champion Amanda Kotaja clocked a season-best 27.32 to win the women’s 200m T54 ahead of Belgium’s double Paris 2024 champion and world record holder Lea Bayekula.

Hosts of the next World Para Athletics Championships, Uzbekistan also celebrated victories through Paris 2024 champions Kudratillokhon Marufkhujaev (men’s shot put F37) and Tolibboy Yuldashev (men’s discus throw F37).

Two-time Paralympic champion Bobirjon Omonov also impressed with 12.93m to secure gold in the men’s shot put F41.

Japan - hosts of the upcoming Asian Para Games - enjoyed success through Tomoki Sato, who won the men’s 400m and 1500m T52 races.

Click here to relive all the action from the Nottwil 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix. Complete results are available here.

What’s next?

Following the record-shattering competition in Nottwil, the Grand Prix series heads back to Africa for the Tunis Grand Prix in June.

The all-women’s Olomouc 2026 meeting will take place in July, alongside the Tlaxcala Grand Prix later that month.

The 2026 Grand Prix season will conclude in Cali, Colombia, with the final event of the season in September.

*Records pending ratification by World Para Athletics