Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Program Finalized

(ATR) Para triathlon completes the schedule for the 2020 Paralympics with eight events, bringing the total number of medal events for the Games to 540.

The International Triathlon Union and International Paralympic Committee set the number of medal events in Tokyo today, finalizing the Paralympic program. Para triathlon adds two more medal events than Rio 2016, where the sport made its Paralympic debut.

Adding two more medal events means there will be 80 para triathlon competitors in Tokyo, 20 more than in Rio. The classes for Tokyo include PTWC, PTS2, PTS5, and PTVI for the women, and PTWC, PTS4, PTS5, and PTVI for the men.

"We will keep on working with the IPC for having more classes and more athletes in the next editions of the Games," Marisol Casado, ITU President, said in a statement. "But we are confident that the incredible performances of our Para triathletes, their strength and commitment and their show-stopping displays will have the potential to conjure up some more of that special magic that we have."

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics program features 22 sports, the same number contested in Rio de Janeiro. Both paracanoe and para triathlon will be contested in Tokyo after making debuts during the last Paralympic Games.

A total of 4,400 athletes will compete at in Tokyo. Athletics will be the biggest event, with 1,100 athletes in 168 medal events.

Triathlon in Tokyo will be held around the Odaiba region on Tokyo Bay. Last year the region failed a water quality tests prompting fears about marathon swimming and triathlon. Organizers pledged cleanup efforts, while noting the abnormal weather conditions ahead of the testing.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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