Major Sponsor Confirmed As World Sporting CEO Visits NZ

It’s not often a world sports leader visits New Zealand, but this week for a short time the Chief Executive Officer of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Xavier Gonzalez is in the country to discuss the final preparations for the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in January in Christchurch. 

Together with IPC Athletics Sport Manager Helen Murphy and IPC Athletics Technical Delegate Tarek Souei, Gonzalez will be updated by the local organising committee on the progress made towards next year’s event. He will also visit QEII Stadium where the Championships will take place January 21-30, 2011. 

 

Gonzalez wants to see for himself that the city of Christchurch has pulled together after the major earthquake in early September and that preparations for January have not been affected.  

 

More than 1,000 athletes from over 70 countries including world record holders, world and Paralympic champions are expected in Christchurch next January for the last major gathering of international athletes before the London 2012 Paralympic Games. 

 

With less than 100 days to go to the World Championships, the position and scale of the event has been recognised with a local sponsor coming on board. Pub Charity has approved just under $800,000 for the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships and as the starting blocks for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. 

 

The sponsorship confirmation is a great boost for both Paralympics New Zealand and the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championship Organising Committee and will assist both the event and athletes such as Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist, Jessica Hamill, and Beijing Paralympics Silver Medallist Kate Horan. 

 

Amongst some of the 1000 plus names who have confirmed their participation in the event is world famous athlete Oscar ‘Blade Runner’ Pistorius who is part of South Africa's 35-strong team. Pistorius will be competing in the 100m, 200m and 400m T44 - all races he won four years ago at the last IPC Athletics World Championships in Assen, the Netherlands. 

 

Joining Pistorius in Christchurch are the fastest Paralympians on the planet over 100m, Ireland's Jason Smyth (men’s T13 world record holder at 10.62 seconds) and Brazil's Terezinha Guihermino (women’s T11 world record holder since 2007).   

 

Paralympics CEO and Chair of the Local Organising Committee, Fiona Pickering, is delighted with the outstanding support from Pub Charity. “This support will significantly escalate the development of Paralympic sport within New Zealand. New Zealanders are great supporters of Paralympic sport. More and more people are taking a much greater interest in disabled athletes’ achievements and yet we still face challenges in achieving an equitable level with their able-bodied counterparts.  

 

Pub Charity’s commitment to support the further development of Paralympic sport within New Zealand through to London 2012 Paralympic Games is to be applauded. This is a charitable trust with a focus on supporting communities all over New Zealand. With one in five people in New Zealand having some form of disability we will work together to showcase this World Championship event to inspire all New Zealand communities”. 

 

Tickets to see the IPC Athletics World Championships which take place January 21-30, 2011 are now on-sale and can be purchased from www.ticketdirect.co.nz   Adult tickets cost just $10 per day. Purchase before 30 November and receive a 20 per cent discount. 

 

For the latest news about the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships, visit www.ipcathleticsworldchamps.com