Paris Grand Prix: Five of the Best

This year will be the second time the French capital – the venue for the 2024 Paralympic Games - plays host to the World Para Athletics Grand Prix series, after a hugely successful debut twelve months ago.

The event takes place at the Stade Charlety in Paris from 14-15 June.

Here is a reminder of the top five top moments from 2017.

Floors makes a big impression

Germany’s Johannes Floors set two new European records at the Stade Charlety, clocking 10.98 over 100m and 21.16 in the 200m T43/44 - a time that would have won him bronze at Rio 2016. Floors, who, following the introduction of new classification rules this year now competes in the T62 class, went on to win a hat-trick of golds at London 2017.

French excel on home soil

There were new national records for Paralympic champion Nantenin Keita (T13), former world champion Mandy Francois-Elie (T37) and European gold medallist Timothee Adolphe (T11), while Louis Radius (T38), Pierre Fairbank and Julien Casoli also won on the track.

Stars shine ahead of London 2017

Algerian twins Abdellatif (1,500m T13) and Fouad Baka (800m T13) notched up one win each before going on to repeat that success six weeks later at the World Championships; long jumper Daniel Wagner of Denmark, Italy’s Paralympic champion Martina Caironi and Malaysia’s shot put sensation Muhammad Zolkefli were also among the winners.

South Africans show strength in depth

South African Para athletes were out in force in Paris and notched up a number of wins. Paralympic silver medallist Jonathan Ntutu won the 200m T12; Anrune Liebenberg was the fastest in the women’s 200m T46/47 class; Charl du Toit impressed in both the 100m and 200m T37 and Dyan Buis dominated the 200m T38. Teammate and javelin thrower Reinhardt Hamman showed his return to form in the field too, having suffered an elbow injury and undergoing knee surgery after the Rio Games.

Paris firmly on Para athletics map

2017 may have been the first time Paris hosted the World Para Athletics Grand Prix series, but the event certainly made a big impression. French Sports Minister Laura Flessel made a special visit to watch the action and later the same year Paris was confirmed as the host city for the 2024 Paralympic Games.