2009 Paralympic World Cup Launched
SubscribeMairi Irvine 19 January 2009
Manchester will host the Paralympic World Cup once again, with the 2009 edition scheduled for 20-25 May. UK Sport is continuing its support of the event through investment from its National Lottery funded World Class Events Programme.
UK Sport’s Events Consultant, Clare Hartley, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Paralympic World Cup for the fifth successive year as part of our ongoing commitment to Paralympic sport. This event provides athletes with valuable exposure to world class competition in Paralympic disciplines and is a fantastic opportunity for British athletes to compete internationally on home soil in preparation for London 2012.”
At the launch on 15 January were multi Paralympic gold medallists Sarah Storey, Dave Roberts and Oscar Pistorius. BT have been announced as new title sponsors of the Paralympic World Cup, with Oscar Pistorius confirmed as the latest athete to join the BT Ambassador Programme, which aims to inspire BT's employees and customers to support and mentor the young British hopefuls aiming to compete in the London 2012 Games and beyond.
The Paralympic World Cup is the largest annual international multi-sport competition in elite disability sport and will once again feature action in athletics, swimming, cycling and wheelchair basketball.
ParalympicsGB host the event and their Chief Executive Phil Lane said: “Since its inception in 2005, the Paralympic World Cup has become an important event in the elite disability sport calendar and I am delighted that a company with BT’s global stature is supporting it.
“Not only does the BT Paralympic World Cup raise the profile of disability sport in Great Britain between the Paralympic Games, it also gives our athletes an opportunity to compete on home soil against the world’s best, which is vital for preparation for the Paralympics.”
Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said: “The Paralympic World Cup is a fantastic showcase event for our most talented athletes with a disability. As well as being an important competition in its own right it will be a significant part of our athletes' preparation for London 2012, where our Paralympians will look to better their superb performances in Beijing. I applaud BT for its support of the Paralympic World Cup and for shining a spotlight on disability sport with their ambassador programme.”
In addition to BT and UK Sport, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and Manchester City Council are also supporting the event. The BBC, the official televised partner to the event, will broadcast live from the Manchester Aquatics Centre on Monday 25 May 2009 on BBC Television.
Tickets for the BT Paralympic World Cup will be available from February 2009. For more information visit: www.paralympics.org.uk
