The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has this week announced the medal events programme and athlete quotas for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The decision followed a thorough review of the proposals from each of the 22 sports on the Tokyo programme submitted to the IPC.
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) has confirmed that the IPC has increased the quota for paratriathletes for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games to 80. This is 20 more than in the previous Games. Furthermore, the IPC Governing Board has initially confirmed three medal events per gender, the same number ITU had at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
ITU adds that t=There is a possibility to increase the medal events per gender in case a mutually agreed classification system is in place by December 2018. The athlete quota for paratriathlon will be 80 athletes, regardless of the number of classes and medal events
“We are extremely pleased that the IPC has increased the number of paratriathletes that will be able to perform in Tokyo 2020,” said ITU President and IOC member, Marisol Casado.
She continued, “The Paralympic Games is the pinnacle of sport for all our athletes, and we are sure that this increase will mean an increase in the number of athletes practicing paratriathlon, participating in events and vying to get one of those spots. Furthermore, we are delighted with the possibility of having more sport classes and events in Tokyo. We will work closely with the IPC to achieve this goal and to keep developing our beloved sport.”
Taken together, the international federations had asked for a total of 4,979 athletes and 555 medal events at Tokyo 2020; and, after negotiations between the federations and the IOC, the Games at Tokyo 2020 will have a total of 528 medal events and 4,400 athletes, 50 more than in the previous Paralympic Games.
ITU will work closely with the IPC in order to reach consensus on a classification system that may see more classes included at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
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