Samperl and Pirman in fine form as Worlds approach

The combi standard class 2 remained the territory of world No. 1 pairing, who won all of their dances in a convincing display.

Slovenia’s Barbara Samperl and Klemen Pirman won two gold medals in Hasselt, Belgium, last weekend (24-25 October) at the last IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport competition ahead of the 2015 World Championships.

The combi standard class 2 remained the territory of world No. 1 pairing, who won all of their dances in a convincing display.

Slovakia’s Maria Dutkova and Martin Solc finished in a unanimous second place, and Dutch couple Celestine Zegers and Remco Van Sabben rounded off the podium.

Samperl and Klemen also went onto to win the freestyle combi class 2, pushing Slovakia’s Helen Kasicka and Peter Vidasic into second. Austria’s Patrick Berger and Isabella Schmid were third.

Kasicka and Vidasic danced their way to the top of the podium at their first competition of 2015, showing their form ahead of the World Championships, which take place on 6-8 November in Rome, Italy.

The defending world champions impressed the judges in the combi standard class 1. They won all of the dances to take first place ahead of teammates Maria Gazdikova and Maros Olejar. Germany’s Brigit Habben-Kober and Reiner Kober were third.

The world No. 3 pairing of Austria's Miriam Labus and Patrick Berger led Belgium’s Sofie Cox and Sander Deckx in the duo standard class 2. That result was mirrored in the duo Latin class 2.

Deckx had another podium in the men’s single class two, taking second behind Austria’s Robert Pleininger.

In the women’s freestyle singles class 2, Cox collected gold ahead of Italians Giulia Bonomo and Mariangela Correale, respectively.

In the women’s single class 2, Austrian world No. 3 Sanja Vukasinovic picked up her latest podium victory, looking strong in her quest for her first world title in the event in just two weeks time.

Cox was second, and Austria’s Brigitte Kroell was third.

Steven Fenech and Roxanne Buttigieg impressed for Malta in the combi Latin class 2, achieving a resounding seal of approval form the judges to take first place. There was delight for World Championships hosts Italy as Martantonia La Forgia and Emilio Bargiacchi were second.

Gazdikova and Olejar collected their second podium finish in third.

The 2015 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Championships will take place in Rome, Italy, between 6-8 November.

The competition, organised by the Italian Dance Sport Federation (FIDS), is expected to attract more than 150 athletes from nearly 25 countries and will be hosted at the Bocciodromo.