Gonzalez Heads to New Zealand for Final Site Inspection

The International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Xavier Gonzalez is heading to New Zealand this week (20,21 October) for a two-day meeting in Christchurch to discuss the final preparations for next January’s 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships.

Together with IPC Athletics Sport Manager Helen Murphy and IPC Athletics Technical Delegate Tarek Souei, Gonzalez will be updated by the organizing committee on the progress made towards next year’s event whilst also receiving a visit of the QEII Stadium where the Championships will take place.

More than 1,000 athletes from over 70 countries including world record holders, world and Paralympic champions are expected in Christchurch next January for the last major gathering of international athletes before the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Xavier Gonzalez, the IPC’s CEO, said: “With less than 100 days to go to the World Championships, we are now in the final stages of preparations for what promises to be an outstanding event involving some of the world’s best athletes.

“I am looking forward to see how the city of Christchurch has pulled together after the major earthquake in early September and how that has affected the city and preparations for January.

“To stage such a prestigious international event so soon after the earthquake is testament to the New Zealand people and during my visit I’ll be working with the organizing committee to ensure they deliver the best championships possible under these challenging circumstances.”