What to watch: October 2015

IPC Athletics World Championships

Anticipation has been building for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, as more and more countries have been revealing their teams to compete 21-31 October in Doha, Qatar. This will be one of the last major competitions ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Around 1,300 athletes from 90 countries will compete, including the USA, Australia, Great Britain, Argentina and Columbia.

The IPC website will live stream 70 hours of the event.

Men’s Sitting Volleyball European Championships

Defending European and Paralympic champions Bosnia and Herzegovina are the team to take down. The competition runs from 30 September-8 October in Warendorf, Germany. Home favourites Germany, bronze medallists from London 2012, and European runners-up Russia are expected to challenge.

More information can be found on ParaVolley Europe’s website.

International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Asia-Oceania, Africa zonal Championships

Twelve men’s teams will compete for three spots and three women’s teams will battle for one spot at Rio 2016 when the Asia-Oceania zonal Championships take place 7-18 October in Chiba, Japan.

Africa’s zonal Championships will be held 30 October-8 November in Algiers, Algeria. It will be the first time a women’s competition features four countries playing for the spot at Rio 2016. On the men’s side, eight teams will play for one spot to the Paralympics.

Follow the competitions through the IWBF’s Facebook page.

International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Para-Table Tennis European Championships, Asia Regional Championships

More than 300 athletes will compete for European titles in their respective classes, when the Championships take place from 12-17 October in Vejle, Denmark. Keep an eye on Poland’s three-time Paralympic champion Natalia Partyka in the women’s class 10 and the Czech Republic’s world champion Sandra Paovic, who looks to retain her crown in the women’s class 6. Spain’s Alvaro Valera and Denmark’s Peter Rosenmeier will pose an interesting match-up in the men’s class 6.

Follow the competition through the event website.

The top table tennis players in Asia will then commence in Amman, Jordan, shortly after and play for the regional titles in their respective classes from 17-22 October. The Chinese dominate the world rankings in the women’s side, with 11 currently in the top-three.

International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) 2015 Asia-Oceania Wheelchair Rugby Championships; World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge (WWRC)

World No. 1 and Paralympic champions Australia will get to showcase their strength ahead of Rio 2016 at the Asia-Oceania Championships, which will be held 26 October-1 November in Chiba, Japan. Host nation Japan, ranked No. 4 in the world, will look to challenge. Follow the IWRF’s Twitter account for the latest updates.

But before then, eight teams from around the world will gather on 11-16 October in London, Great Britain. Australia, Canada and the USA will be joined by New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Great Britain and France.

International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Blind Football African Championships

The final qualification spot for Rio 2016 will be decided over 16-25 October in Doula, Cameroon, where the African Championships will be held. Iran and China qualified at their respective Championships in September. Morocco and Senegal faced off in last year’s open Championships, with Senegal taking the 2-1 victory.

Follow the competition at IBSA Blind Football’s Facebook page.

International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing World Cup

Just a month after the World Championships in Eger, Hungary, wheelchair fencers will follow up their performances on 22-25 October in Paris France.

Follow the competition at the IWAS’s Facebook page.