25/4/2008

Wales will have a strong presence at the Paralympic World Cup next month (7-11 May).

Ten of Wales's top athletes are headed for Manchester SportCity, having been selected by UK Athletics. They form part of a 31-strong team that will take to the track and field in what is one of their last chances to fine tune their Beijing Paralympic preparations.

Now in its third successive year, the VISA Paralympic World Cup is the biggest multi-disability sport event outside of the Paralympic Games, featuring an extravaganza of track and field athletics, swimming, cycling and wheelchair athletics.

The Welsh contingent features stars well used to the limelight. Take Tracy Hinton (Cardiff AAC) from Cardiff, a visually impaired runner who has raced at the Sydney and Athens Games and boasts an illustrious CV from her time on the track.

Likewise, Queensferry's Beverley Jones (West Cheshire AC) a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, who is also hoping to make her third Paralympic appearance later this year and will be using the outing in Manchester as a benchmarking exercise.

Having competed in sledge hockey at the Turin Winter Games, Nathan Stephens (Wales FDSW) has sampled a taste of what is in store in Beijing. The Bridgend throws star is looking forward to a strong field:

"All the big guys who will be in Beijing will be there so it's going to be a really crucial event for me in terms of seeing how I compare to the competition and to examine what work needs to be done ahead of September.

"It's also going to be a useful event as it is televised, which adds a bit of pressure, but it helps me prepare for that side of things in Beijing. I've got a competition every weekend now until June but this event is a key date in the diary because of the strength of field and also because it is Beijing-simulated."

Wales's younger guns will also be out in force, aiming to make their mark. Jenny McCloughlin (Wales FDSW), 16, from Chepstow is a sprinter with right sided hemiplegia. She is a graduate of Disability Sport Wales's highly successful Academy programme, which nurtures and develops talented sportsmen and women. She has now progressed onto UK Athletics World Class Development funding.

With three Academy members - James Ball, Rebecca Chin and Daniel Norton - making the trip to Manchester, Gareth John, Chairman of Disability Sport Wales, is looking forward to seeing how some of the younger athletes perform:

"Wales has a proud tradition in disability sport and we are expecting strong performances in Beijing. However, we are not complacent and we are committed to continue to drive talent through to the top.

"Our Academy programme features a number of world-class prospects. Beijing is too early for many of them but the Paralympic World Cup will introduce them to a high profile, multi-sport event which will give them an excellent grounding for 2012 and beyond."

Tim Jones, UK Athletics Disability Director, who will lead the team for both the Paralympic World Cup and the Paralympic Games in Beijing, said: "The Paralympic World Cup has been a prominent feature in our calendar for a number of years now. The event this year will take on an added significance, being just four months prior to the start of Beijing Paralympics.

"Whilst the focus of all of our athletes attention is on performing at their best in China, this competition will provide us with a very useful marker to judge our winter preparations, and an ideal opportunity to face up to some of our closest competitors. The event has always been exceptionally well run and we are looking forward to a keen event this time around."

Over the coming weeks, selection announcements will also be made for wheelchair basketball, swimming and cycling and it is expected that Wales will once again etch its presence on the team lists.

ATHLETICS (Manchester Arena Sunday 11 May)


BRIAN ALLDIS
DOB: 03/06/83
From: Rogerstone, Newport
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Event: 400m/1500m
Class: T54

JAMES BALL
DOB: 24/06/91
From: Newport
Disability: Visually impaired
Event: 100m
Class: B3

REBECCA CHIN
DOB: 11/12/91
From: Deeside
Disability: Hypo-laxity
Event: Ambulant Discus
Class: F42

TRACEY HINTON
D.O.B: 19/03/70
From: Cardiff
Disability: Blind
Event: 100m/200m(guide runner: Darrell Maynard & Anthony Wilson)
Class: T11/12

BEVERLEY JONES
DOB: 17/10/74
From: Deeside
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Event: Shot/Ambulant Discus
Class: F37/38

JENNY MCLOUGHLIN
DOB: 03/10/1991
From: Chepstow
Disability: Right side hemiplegia
Event: 100m/200m
Class: T37

DANIEL NORTON
DOB: 18/10/90
From: Cwmbran
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Event: 100m

NATHAN STEPHENS
DOB: 11/4/88
From: Bridgend
Disability: Amputee
Event: Seated shot

ANDREW WILLIAMS
DOB: 09/01/1981
From: Mold
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Event: Seated Shot Putt
Class: F32

CLAIRE WILLIAMS
DOB: 29/09/87
From: Carmarthen
Disability: Visually Impaired
Event: Ambulant Discus
Class: F13

For further information visit UK Athletics at www.ukathletics.net