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San Antonio to host US Paralympics Track and Field Nationals
The US Paralympics Track and Field Nationals, to be held in June, will serve as the country’s selection event for the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships. 05 Apr 2013
Jeremy Campbell became the first-ever Paralympic athlete to throw more than 60m.
Jerome Singleton, the defending world champion in the 100m T44, will also be one to watch on the track in San Antonio.
US Paralympics announced on Wednesday (4 April) that the 2013 US Paralympics Track and Field National Championships will be held at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas from 14-16 June
The competition is the final qualification opportunity for American athletes vying for a spot at the 2013 ICP Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France.
"Not only does Trinity University have a fast track, they also have great facilities for our field athletes," said Cathy Sellers, USOC director of high performance for Paralympic track and field.
"We're excited to bring our athletes to the great sports atmosphere of San Antonio before they take on the world in Lyon."
All-session passes for spectators ages 10 and up will be available for US $10 at the spectator entrance of the Trinity University Stadium.
Approximately 200 track and field athletes are expected to participate in the competition, including San Antonio's own Kate Callahan, who competed at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships, and 2008 Paralympic Games gold and bronze medallist Casey Tibbs, a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy.
Other Texans slated to compete are three-time Paralympic medallist Jim Bob Bizzell, three-time Paralympic gold medallist Jeremy Campbell and Paralympian Tobi Fawehinmi.
Eighteen U.S. track and field athletes combined for 28 medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games with Campbell, Raymond Martin, Tatyana McFadden and Shirley Reilly all winning gold medals.
Martin, named the 2012 Paralympic SportsMan of the Year by the USOC, led the way for Team USA with four gold medals while McFadden earned three gold medals. All four London 2012 gold medalists expect to compete at the event in San Antonio.
Jerome Singleton, the defending world champion in the 100m T44, will also be one to watch on the track in San Antonio.
Other top US athletes expected to compete in San Antonio include two-time Paralympic medallist April Holmes, world-record holder in the women's 100m T44; three-time Paralympic medallist Lex Gillette, world-record holder in the men's long jump T11; two-time Paralympic medallist Blake Leeper, world-record holder in the men's 100m T43; five-time Paralympic medallist Paul Nitz, world-record holder in the men's 100m T52; and Paralympic medallist David Prince, world-record holder in the men's 400m T44.
At the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, Team USA won 34 medals, including nine world titles.
While the three-day event in San Antonio serves as a qualifier for American athletes for the World Championships, it is also is open to athletes from other countries.
At last year's trials in Indianapolis, Great Britain's Jonnie Peacock broke the longstanding world record in the men's 100m T44 with a time of 10.85.
Related Images
USA's Tatyana McFadden won the gold medal during the women's 400m - T54 final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Blake Leeper of the United States lines up on the starting blocks prior to the Men's 400m T44 heats at the London Paralympics
