GB has successful Paralympic World Cup

Team GB achieved some outstanding performances at the 2009 Paralympic World Cup, the biggest competition outside of the Paralympic Games. Spread over five days in Manchester, this event brings together some of the best Paralympic Athletes in the world in the sports of Athletics, Wheelchair Basketball, Swimming and Cycling.

Outstanding Cycling performances

British Cycling led the way once again, building on their success in Beijing with Jody Cundy, breaking the world record at the Velodrome, becoming the first Paralympic cyclist to go under 10.998 seconds in the 200m time Trial. It was a similar story in other cycling events with the impressive Simon Jackson and pilot Barney Storey bringing home Gold in the pairings. In the same event new rider Neil Fachie who remarkably only switched from athletics to cycling a few weeks before the event, achieved a silver medal with partner David Readle.

Rookie GB Squad win Bronze

The GB Wheelchair Basketball men’s team was a comparatively inexperienced team to the one that took to the court in Beijing. Many squad members had been altered because of players playing abroad, injury and because others were being rested by Coach Murray Treseder who was trying new combinations to try out the developing talent in the run up to 2012. Speaking after winning the bronze medal 69-49 against Germany, GB Assistant Coach Sinclair said ‘We got to test quite a few new players in the run up to 2012 and see what their ability is and see if they can handle this standard and I think they done really well’. GB women gave a valiant performance in defeat against China losing 63-50 in there bronze medal match.

Trail blazing performances on the track

On a baking hot Manchester Sunday, we switched to the track with new Paralympic Athletics Head Coach Peter Ericksson watching the GB Athletics stars, on a track which is not normally known for its fast times GB put in some great performances. David Weir who said he saw this year as a time to experiment and try new things, stormed home to take the T54 1500m in a time of 3:21.24. Much of the media attention in the run up to the world cup involved the Blade Runner himself Oscar Pistorius, and he didn’t disappoint his many fans, racing a championship record time of 50.28 in the T43 100 metres, to beat Team GB local lad Ian Jones, who took silver.

GB swimmers on Top form

The event closed on Bank Holiday Monday with swimming taking centre stage, with the girl of the moment Eleanor Symonds breaking the 100m Freestyle World Record by well over a second. Other notable British performances in the Aquatics Centre were eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist Dave Roberts celebrating his 29th birthday by winning the 100m freestyle and Louise Watkin winning the S9 50meteres.

All round Manchester did a great job from start to finish in showcasing some of the best Paralympic athletes in the world. With the build up to London 2012 next year will be another important landmark for Paralympic athletes from around the globe and we can look forward to more world beating performances.

Thank you Manchester! See you in 2010