September: What to watch

With three World Championships taking place, September 2014 is set to be another bumper month of para-sport. 01 Sep 2014
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Korean judoka Gwang-Geun Choi

Korean judoka Gwang-Geun Choi wins gold at London 2012

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By IPC

Here is what to watch across September

September 2014 is set to be another thrilling month in para-sport, with three World Championships taking place, as well as the US Open for wheelchair tennis.

Here is what to watch across the month.

2014 BISFed Boccia World Championships

Beijing, China, will also play host to the Boccia Worlds from 19-28 September, with the hosts looking to improve on their showing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games by winning gold.

Brazil, who topped the medals table in London, will be looking to keep up their dominance of the sport, and Dirceu Jose Pinto will undoubtedly be the one to beat.

2014 IBSA Judo World Championships

The competition at the US Olympic Training Centre in Colorado Springs, USA, will begin on 4 September, with the women’s 48, 52 and 57kg categories, and the men’s 60, 66 and 73kg categories. A number of the major players will be in action, including the USA’s Dartanyon Crockett and the Republic of Korea’s Gwang-Geun Choi.

2014 ITTF Para-Table Tennis World Championships

Many of the world’s top stars will be amongst the 314 athletes to gather in Beijing, China, including Poland’s Natalia Partyka, Great Britain’s Will Bayley and Sweden’s Anna Carin-Ahlquist. The hopes of the hosts will also rest on the shoulders of China’s Lin Ma, who won gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, as well as the same title at the 2013 ITTF Asian Championships.

For more information on the competition, visit the event website.

2014 Wheelchair Tennis US Open

France’s Stephane Houdet will be looking to retain his title as the US Open gets underway between 5-7 September in New York, USA. Houdet beat Japan’s Shingo Kunieda to last year’s title, but Kunieda has had an exceptional 2014, and will be out for revenge in New York. The women’s tournament is also set to be a thriller, with the Netherlands’ Aniek van Koot out to defend her crown. She will undoubtedly face stiff competition from world number one, Japan’s Yui Kamiji. Van Koot and her partner, compatriot Jiske Griffioen, will also be the ones to beat in the women’s doubles, whilst Houdet and Kuneida will then team up in the pursuit of their second doubles grand slam of the season.

For more information, visit the International Tennis Federation website.

IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport Continents Cup

The biggest ever Continents Cup is set to take place in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from 13-15 September with 97 couples entered into the combined events and 53 in the single events. This competition will also see the first outing of new events, combi freestyle, singles conventional and freestyle. With 15 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) entered, athletes from Asia, America and Europe will compete.

From 27-28 September, the Belgian Open is the last IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport event of the year before the European Championships in Lomianki, Poland, in November.

For more information, visit the IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport website.