IPC Athletics, the international federation for para-athletics, has announced that the 2015 IPC Athletics Marathon World Championships will be held in London, Great Britain, on Sunday 26 April in association with the Virgin Money London Marathon.
Although the IPC Athletics World Championships will be held in Doha, Qatar, in October 2015, IPC Athletics decided on switching the marathon events to London as it better suited the race schedules of the leading marathon racers.
Up to 12 different medal events will take place including six events for male para-athletes and six for females, should they meet the minimum viability criteria.
The six events per gender are as follows:
T11/T12 - for para-athletes with a severe visual impairment who run with a guide
T13 - for para-athletes with a visual impairment meeting the minimum criteria
T42/43/44 - for para-athletes with lower and upper leg impairments
T45/46 - for para-athletes with lower and upper arm impairments
T51/52 - wheelchair racers with activity limitation in both lower and upper limbs
T53/54 - wheelchair racers with partial trunk and leg function
Ryan Montgomery, Head of IPC Athletics, said: "Following the success of the IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup in London for the last two years, we are delighted that the British capital will stage the IPC Athletics Marathon World Championships next year.
"London has a superb track record for staging top class marathon events, as demonstrated each year and during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. We are very excited about staging this event in the city in 2015.
"In addition to world titles being up for grabs, the races next year will have added impetus as they will act as qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and for some sport classes be the last opportunity to secure their place in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games."
Virgin Money London Marathon Race Director Hugh Brasher, said: "The London Marathon has a proud history of inclusivity; we see it as a vital part of our organisational aims to continue to promote and empower the world of Paralympic sport over the coming years.
"The 2012 London Paralympic Games showed the massive British public support for Paralympic sport. We are very pleased to continue working with the IPC to develop and raise the profile of the para-athletes in all categories.
"We would like London to continue to be centre stage in developing the sport of elite marathon running within all categories, and look forward to welcoming back the world's top para-athletes to London in April 2015."
Each country can enter a maximum of six athletes into each event and each athlete must have made the minimum qualification standard or have been allocated a direct invitation.
The last marathon world titles were awarded in July 2013 as part of the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France.
Switzerland's Marcel Hug, who won the London marathon last year, won the men's T53/54 world title, whilst his compatriot Manuela Schaer won the women's world gold.
There were also gold medals for Chile's Cristian Valenzuela in the men's T11, Morocco's El Amin Chentouf in the men's T12 and Italy's Alessando di Lello in the men's T46 class.
The 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships will take place in Doha, Qatar, between 22-31 October.
For further information, please visit www.ipc-athletics.org
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