PREVIEW | 2023 WORLD PARA ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2023 World Para Athletics Championships are finally here with 39 athletes set to represent Australia in Paris. The World Para Athletics Championships return for the first time since 2019 with six West Australians going for gold.

WA’s representatives include three-time World Champion Madison De Rozario, with World Championship medallists Sarah Edmiston, Chad Perris, Rhiannon Clarke, as well as Paralympic Medallist Ella Pardy and debutant Jackson Hamilton.

2023 London Marathon Winner Madison De Rozario (Louise Sauvage) will lead the way for the WA with the Australian stalwart set to launch proceedings with the T54 5000m final on Monday afternoon WST. De Rozario has 19 major international medals to her name already and will look to consolidate an electric few years with a return to the World Championship podium. The wheelchair champion is set to contest the 5000m, 1500m and 800m.

WA throwing powerhouse Sarah Edmiston (Paul Edmiston) will unleash in the Women’s Discus competition on Tuesday afternoon. The F44 athlete’s selection for Paris marks her fifth appearance for Australia, with the Perth Track and Field Athlete looking to continue her trend of medalling at every major championship she’s contested.

Sprint Star Rhiannon Clarke (Danny Kevan) returns to the Australian team following an impressive domestic season. Clarke became the first Open Female to claim three National Titles at one Australian Championships and is well placed to capitalise at Stade Sébastien-Charléty. However, Clarke won’t be alone, with training partner and Paralympic Medallist Ella Pardy (UWA, Danny Kevan) looking to join her on the podium, with both Pardy and Clarke set to contest the T38 100m and 200m, while Clarke will return later in the week for the 400m.

Canberra-based sprinter Chad Perris (Iryna Dvoskina) will look to continue his lighting-quick form in the men’s T13 100m. Perris set the fastest-ever 100m time for a male Para Athlete on Australian soil earlier in the year and is ready to take on the world’s best. No stranger to the world stage, the White Tiger is in career-best form and will aim to better his silver medal from the 2019 World Para Championships in Dubai.

Jackson Hamilton rounds out an impressive field of WA athletes with the young UWA athlete making his debut in the Australian team. Contesting the F13 Men’s Javelin in the back half of the Championships, Hamilton will be fired up to better his own Australian and Oceania record of 61.71m.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

* Will progress based on results in Round 1

The 2023 World Para Athletics Championships is being broadcast live and free to Australian audiences on the Nine Network’s digital platform, 9Now.

Full start lists and results can be found HERE.

You can follow all the athletics action from Athletics West via Facebook and Instagram pages.

For more information about how you can get involved in athletics, contact Athletics West on 08 6272 0480.

By David Smith, Athletics West

Posted 10 July 2023