Recapping the month in para-sport: April 2015

Athletics

The USA won triple gold at the IPC Athletics World Marathon in London, Great Britain, thanks to Josh George, Tatyana McFadden and Raymond Marathon.

South Africa’s Ilse Hayes emerged as the world’s fastest female para-athlete at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, Brazil with a 100m time of 11.89 seconds.

A number of world records were also set in the Grand Prix in Beijing, China.

Boccia

Great Britain shined in the European Continental Cup, taking home seven medals, four which were gold.

But the stunner came in the BC1 category, where Great Britain’s world No.1 David Smith took a bronze medal finish. It was Greece’s Panagiotis Soulanis – ranked No. 9 in the world – earning the gold.

Equestrian

British rider Natasha Baker and her new horse Sooki St. James made a promising start at the three-star para-equestrian dressage competition in Waregem, Belgium. The London 2012 gold medalist won the Grade II team and individual competitions and took silver in the freestyle.

Great Britain also saw success from its riders in an earlier competition in Deauville, France.

Powerlifting

After struggling with a shoulder injury throughout last year, Amalia Perez impressed in her home country, setting a world record at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Open Americas Championships in Mexico City, Mexico.

Her feat was one of eight American records broken and one of Mexico’s six gold medals – the most at the event.

Sailing

France had no trouble in its own waters, winning both gold medals at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Hyères.

In the third installment of the 2014-15 World Cup series, Damien Seguin secured the victory in the final 2.4mR race, while the French trio of Bruno Jourdren, Eric Flageul and Nicolas Vimont-Vicary raced to gold in the sonar class.

Shooting

Numerous world records were set at the IPC Shooting World Cup. Uzbekistan’s Server Ibragimov recorded his first major international victory, en route to a world record in the P1 (men’s 10m air pistol SH1). Australia’s Natalia Smith pushed for her Rio 2016 contention in her victory in the R2 (women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1), while New Zealand’s three-time Paralympic medallist Michael Johnson set a new finals world record in R4 (mixed 10 air rifle standing SH2).

Slovakian world and European champion Veronika Vadovicova also took the win and a world record in the R3 (mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1).

Swimming

April saw a host of world records set, with the Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaft in Berlin, Germany seeing 36. New Zealand’s Sophie Pascoe set two women’s S10 world records – 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly – at the Swimming NZ Open Championships.

Dutch swimmer Lisette Teunissen smashed the women’s 50m and 100m backstroke S3 to set herself up for selection for the national squad heading to July’s 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain. Iceland’s Jon Margeir Sverisson pushed to a new S14 world record in the men’s 200m freestyle.

At the 2015 Open Caixa Loterias Swimming Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, reigning six-time world champion Daniel Dias took double victories in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB4, 50m freestyle S5 and 100m breaststroke.

Table Tennis

Australia had no trouble shining at home in the 2015 International Table Tennis Federation Oceania Para-Table Tennis Championships in Bendigo winning multiple titles.

Wheelchair Rugby

France beat Ireland to claim the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) European Division B Championships, whilst both team qualified to play for the European Championships in Finland.

Wheelchair Tennis

South Africa’s Lucas Sithole – ranked No. 4 in the world – pulled a stunner by defeating US world No. 1 David Wagner in front of his home crowd at the Airports Company South Africa Open in Johannesburg. France’s No. 6 ranked Nicolas Peifer won his first super series men’s title, while No. 3 ranked Jiske Griffioen captured her second title in three singles events this season.