UAE world champion and two-time Paralympic medallist Mohammed Al Hammadi has hailed the news that Dubai will launch an exciting new series for the world’s best athletes.
The first-ever International Paralympic Committee Athletics Grand Prix will be held in the UAE in March in the form of the annual Fazza Disabled International Championships.
Beijing, Sao Paulo, Grosseto in Italy, Arizona, and Berlin will then stage the next five events of a series similar to the Diamond League meetings for able-bodied athletes.
Al Hammadi hailed the Grand Prix as “great news” and believes it will be a superb opportunity to compete against the leading names ahead of the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon in July.
“This ensures that the best athletes in the world will come here to Dubai,” said the 27-year-old track sprinter, who won two golds and one silver in the world championships in New Zealand two years ago.
“The Fazza championships will serve as a preparation for me ahead of the world championships in France and it would be great if I can test myself against the world’s top athletes.”
The aim of the Grand Prix series is to build on the success of the London 2012 Paralympics, and satisfy athletes’ desire for more competition and worldwide exposure.
Al Hammadi, who trains at the Thiqah Club for the Handicapped in Sharjah, claimed silver in the 200m T34 and bronze in the 100m T34 at last summer’s Games and was amazed by the support.
“Usain Bolt said he was surprised at how the athletics competitions in the Paralympics had more spectators than the Olympics,” added Al Hammadi. “The stadium was full every day from 9am until 10.30pm, imagine that.
“I would enter the stadium and I couldn’t hear anyone talking to me from how loud it was. It was unrivalled. That kind of support is a huge motivation and makes me want to compete for more and more titles.”
Organisers will confirm participants at a later stage, but a strong field is expected for the Dubai leg, which runs from March 23-26 at Dubai Police Club. Organisers hope to extend the series beyond 2013.
Double London 2012 champion wheelchair racer Hannah Cockcroft added: “The fear after London 2012 for the athletes was that there was going to be a limited amount of motivation over the next four years.
“However, the Grand Prix events and the World Championships will give us plenty of chances to become the best in the world and keep the public interested in our training and achievements allowing us to retain an elite status.”
Read more:
– Prestige and pride as Dubai lands Paralympian Grand Prix event
– Big interview: Oscar Pistorius – changing peoples perceptions of disabilities
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