Ones to watch for 2017 for athletics and equestrian announced

On Thursday (12 September), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced the Ones to Watch athletes for 2017 for track and field and equestrian.

Selected in partnership with World Para Athletics and the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the Ones to Watch athletes are individuals who have the potential to make the headlines in athletics and equestrian during the next Paralympic cycle ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

With one eye on the next Paralympic Games, many of this year’s Ones to Watch are young athletes who will develop between now and Tokyo 2020. Others are Paralympic and world medallists looking to stay at the top of their game.

Between now and 19 January, the IPC will announce Ones to Watch athletes in two sports each day. Around 230 athletes from 22 sports will be named Ones to Watch for 2017 in an effort to make it easier for the public and media to understand which athletes to look out for.

The 2017 Ones to Watch for athletics and equestrian are:

Athletics

• Abdellatif Baka (ALG)

• David Blair (USA)

• Michael Brannigan (USA)

• David Brown (USA)

• Aled Davies (GBR)

• Charl du Toit (RSA)

• Petruccio Ferreira (BRA)

• Peter Genyn (BEL)

• Jianwen Hu (CHN)

• Marcel Hug (SUI)

• Walid Ktila (TUN)

• Brent Lakatos (CAN)

• Liam Malone (NZL)

• Jonnie Peacock (GBR)

• Leinier Savon Pineda (CUB)

• Scott Reardon (AUS)

• Markus Rehm (GER)

• Ananias Shikongo (NAM)

• Jason Smyth (IRL)

• Townsend Roberts (USA)

• Mariyappan Thangavelu (IND)

• Jarryd Wallace (USA)

• Hunter Woodall (USA)

• Leila Adzhametova (UKR)

• Jo Butterfield (GBR)

• Martina Caironi (ITA)

• Libby Clegg (GBR)

• Hannah Cockroft (GBR)

• Omara Durand (CUB)

• Marie Amerlie le Fur (FRA)

• Sophie Hahn (GBR)

• Ilse Hayes (RSA)

• Georgina Hermitage (GBR)

• Noelle Lenihan (IRL)

• Wenjun Liu (CHN)

• Vanessa Low (GER)

• Tatyana McFadden (USA)

• Marlou van Rhijn (NED)

• Raoua Tlili (TUN)

• Hongzhuan Zhou (CHN)

Equestrian

Emma Booth (AUS)

Competed at her first Paralympic Games after a life-threatening accident that left her paraplegic, finishing fifth in the team test and 13th in the individual competition.

Pepo Puch (AUT)

Won gold (individual) and silver (freestyle) at Rio 2016, adding to the bronze and the gold he had claimed at London 2012.

Rodulpho Riskalla (BRA)

Took up Para dressage in January 2016 and eight months later participated in his first Paralympic Games on home soil, securing two top 10 finishes in the competition’s grade III.

Sanne Voets (NED)

On her 30th birthday, she picked up gold in the freestyle grade III at Rio 2016, her country’s only equestrian gold of the Paralympic Games.

Sir Lee Pearson (GBR)

Continued to dominate the sport, winning one gold and one silver at Rio 2016 to take his Paralympic medal haul to 14, including 11 golds.

Sophie Christiansen (GBR)

Enjoyed a successful 2016, winning Paralympic medals for a fourth consecutive Games with a hat-trick of titles in Rio.

Stinna Tange Kaastrup (DEN)

In 2016, she claimed her two first Paralympic medals in Rio, both bronzes in the individual and freestyle events.

On Friday (13 January), the IPC will announce Ones to Watch athletes in judo and table tennis.