Doha 2015 launch My Incredible Story as Tickets Go on Sale for IPC Athletics World Champs

With just over 40 days to go until the start of the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, tickets have gone on sale for the biggest para-sport event ever to be hosted in the Middle East, which will take place at Qatar Sports Club from October 21st - October 31st. To mark this milestone, the Organising Committee has launched a series of five inspirational films telling the incredible stories behind some of the athletes who will be competing.

Speaking about Doha’s hosting of the World Championships, His Excellency Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, President of the Local Organising Committee and Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee said:

"The motto of the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships is ‘Beyond Incredible’. We want to use the World Championships to show the incredible stories behind some of the athletes that are competing in order to raise awareness of para-sport and people with a disability. We want to help break down barriers and change perceptions. We are excited to welcome the world best para-athletes to Doha and hope everyone will join us to witness what promises to be a truly exhilarating competition."

Sir Philip Craven, IPC President, said: "Doha 2015 will be the biggest, and I am confident best, para-athletics World Championships to-date. Coming less than 11 months before the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games athletes will be at the top of their game looking to lay down a marker ahead of next year.

"I am sure a number of world records will be smashed and new talents emerge during what will be a fantastic sporting spectacle."

Over 1,400 athletes from 100 countries around the world will be competing in the world’s biggest single para-sport event. Paralympic Champions, defending World Champions and world-record holders will be competing in Doha, as they also battle to qualify for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Big name stars expected to compete include T44 100m Paralympic and World Champion, Jonnie Peacock of Great Britain, multiple Paralympic and World T11 100m, 200m and 400m Champion, Terezinha Guilhermina of Brazil, and F44 Long Jump World Champion, Markus Rehm of Germany – whose world record distance of 8 metres 29 would have seen him finish in silver medal position at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

There will many exciting head to heads that should not be missed with athletes at the top of their game battling to become best in the world. These include four-time World Champion, Brent Lakatos v on-form 2008 Paralympic Champion, Joshua George in the Men’s T53 200m, and Terezinha Guilhermina v up-and-coming talented young sprinter, Cuiqing Liu of China in the Women’s T11 100m. Perhaps the highlight event will be the Men’s T44 100m. Jonnie Peacock will have to run the race of his life to beat US athletes, Richard Browne, undefeated in 2014, and Jarryd Wallace, who recently broke the world-record at the 2015 Parapan Games in Toronto with a time of 10.71 seconds.

Speaking at the launch of ticket sales, Mr Ameer Al-Mulla, CEO of the Local Organising Committee and President of the Qatar Paralympic Association, said:

"We have no doubt that the World Championships will inspire and amaze spectators from around the world. We encourage everyone to get their tickets and support the athletes as they showcase their outstanding abilities and challenge to become the greatest para-athletes on Earth. We are expecting an electric atmosphere in the stadium and multiple world-records are likely to be set. Nothing will compare to being able to witness the incredible action live."

The first film in the ‘My Incredible Story’ film series tells the remarkable journey of Terezinha Guilhermina. Born with a degenerative eye condition, Terezinha grew up in poverty in a family of 12 who had little money for food. She discovered her talent for running when escaping from school bullies and the rest is history. Speaking in the film, Terezinha says:

"During my childhood, our financial situation had a very deep impact on my life, on the way I looked at the world. I believe those who have little in life can sometimes achieve a lot more. I used to dream of being the best in the world, so I could change my story. Sport has had an amazing impact on my life. I went from being Terezina Guilhermina, the one who dreamed, to Terezina Guilhermina, the one who achieved her dreams."

Preparations for the World Championships are on track and the Organising Committee will be hosting a Test Event from 12th-15th September, in order to test operational procedures and functions ahead of October’s event. The Test Event will double up as this year’s GCC Para-Athletics Championships and will see 200 of the region’s athletes getting an early opportunity to compete in the same stadium that will host the World Championships.

Local para-athletics heroes and Asian Para Games Champions, Abdulrahman Abdelqader, Sara Masoud and Mohamed Al Kubaisi will all be competing in the Test Event and will be hoping to put the final touches to their own preparations for the World Championships.

Speaking ahead of the Test Event, Abdulrahman Abdelqader, who is currently ranked second in the world in the F34 Shot Put, said:

"It will be a dream come true for me to compete in the IPC Athletics World Championships in front of a home crowd, with friends and family cheering me on – this will surely be the highlight of my career to date. My season has been going very well so far and I will use the GCC Para-Athletics Championships to see what form I am in and what I need to work on ahead of the World Championships. I cannot wait to compete in October and I really hope that I will make the nation proud and inspire a new generation of athletes."

Tickets are on sale now at https://doha2015.q-tickets.com for the ten-day competition, which will be held from 21st-31st October at Qatar Sports Club. All proceeds of ticket sales will be donated to charity.

Watch My Incredible Story byTerezinha Guilhermina here.

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Nicola.milan@hkstrategies.com

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Shrief.fadl@hkstrategies.com

+974 6685 1251

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