Dubai: Dubai will once again launch the annual IPC Athletics Grand Prix series with the sixth Fazza International Athletics IPC Grand Prix at the Al Thiqah Club from February 22-25.
Last year’s championship also opened in Dubai and the yearend finale — the IPC Athletics Grand Prix Finals — featured more than 1,000 athletes from 69 countries in Birmingham, the UK. The calendar for 2014 features nine Grand Prix including two new events in Nottwil, Switzerland and in the Tunisian capital of Tunis.
To be held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman, Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the sixth Fazza International Athletics IPC Grand Prix will feature more than 500 athletes from 37 countries. The opening ceremony will be held at the Dubai Creek Park on February 21.
“Shaikh Hamdan believes in our efforts in promoting disabled sports and one of the most heartening signs for us is the increase in the number of juniors who will be representing the UAE this year. These are the future of disabled athletics for us and I am convinced that they will learn a lot by just being part of this international competition,” said Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman, Organising Committee, Fazza International Athletics IPC Grand Prix.
“We are looking forward to a great future for disabled athletics and competitions such as this one will be among the chosen ones to get our athletes ready for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games,” Berregad added.
The four-day competition is being held under the auspices of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and competitions will be held in four different categories including visually disabled, cerebral palsy, motor paralysis and neural paralysis. Special prizes will be on offer for athletes who set new records.
The competition is being sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, Emirates NBD and Global Village.
