Supporting Champions!

2025 will see Virtus’ biggest ever year of competition with more than 10 international competitions planned in the coming months.

The events season kicks off in Bessans-France where Nordic skiers from around the world will compete in the area which plays host to the 2030 Winter Paralympic Games. Virtus has been calling for the re-inclusion of athletes with an intellectual impairment in winter Paralympic sport for many years and it is hoped that the upcoming Virtus competition will be the catalyst to make that happen. Soon after, it is the turn of the alpine (downhill) skiers in neighbouring Tignes.

Italy is the focus for the European Half Marathon Championships as runners test their efforts around the historic city of Genoa in April before a busy programme of World Championships kicks off in Kazakhstan (World Tennis and World Basketball Championships), Great Britain (World Equestrian Dressage Championships), Thailand (World Swimming Championships), Australia (World Athletics Championships) and finally Egypt who host the World Table Tennis Championships.

Speaking ahead of the season opener in Bessans, Virtus President Marc Truffaut said “This year we expect to see more athletes than ever before competing in Virtus competitions. These events provide a platform for athletes with an intellectual impairment to inspire the world, but just as importantly they will re-enforce the case for inclusion in the pinnacle of sport – the Paralympic Games – where events for this classification group remain much lower than many other groups”.

You can read more about the Virtus competition programme on the Virtus website or follow us on social media where we’ll be reporting live from each event.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be remembered for the incredible feats of 151 athletes from 43 countries who competed in athletics, swimming, and table tennis. For many, it was their first Paralympic Games, and they took full advantage of the opportunity to shine. These athletes, who are often overlooked, made history, broke world records and inspired millions around the globe.

Here’s just a few of the successes:

Sabrina Fortune (GBR): Sabrina broke the World Record in the F20 Women’s Shot Put with a massive throw of 15.12m, earning her a gold medal. She had also claimed gold at Kobe 2024 and silver at Rio 2016.

Ben Sandilands (GBR): In a breathtaking performance, Paralympics debutant Ben Sandilands from Great Britain shattered the World Record in the T20 Men’s 1500m with a time of 3:45.40.

Aysel Onder (TUR): In the T20 Women’s 400m semifinals, Aysel broke the World Record with a time of 54.96s, securing her spot in the finals. Aysel claimed the silver in the finals, losing the gold by an inch to the Ukrainian, Yullia Shulliar.

Oleksandr Yarovyi (UKR): Oleksandr obliterated the F20 Men’s Shot Put World Record twice, finishing with a gold-medal-winning throw of 17.61m.

Alexander Hillhouse (DEN): Newbie Alexander broke the Paralympic record in the S14 Men’s 100m Freestyle with a time of 54.61 sec.

Poppy Maskill (GBR): Nineteen-year-old Poppy set a new World Record in the S14 Women’s 100m Butterfly, clocking an impressive 1:03.00. Poppy Maskill took five medals, three gold and two silver from her first Paralympic Games.

William Ellards (GBR): William broke both the World Record in the S14 Men’s 200m Freestyle with a time of 1:51.30. He also won silver in the S14 100m Butterfly. William was also competing in his first Paralympic Games at Paris 2024.

Benjamin Hance (AUS): Benjamin rewrote history in the pool, setting a new World Record in the S14 100m Backstroke with 56.52 sec. He also too silver in the S14 4x100m Mixed relay.

Nicholas Bennett (CAN): Nicholas set a new Paralympic Record in the SM14 200m Individual Medley, finishing at 2:06.05. Bennett also claimed Canada’s first Gold medal at Paris 2024 and added a second gold from the S14 Men’s 100m Breaststroke and silver from the S14 200m Freestyle.

Wada Natsuki (JPN): In a historic moment, Wada became the first Japanese woman to win a Paralympic gold medal in Para Table Tennis, competing in the Class 11 Singles at Paris 2024. She made history not just by winning her first Paralympic medal from her first Paralympic games, but by becoming a trailblazer for her country.

Yovanni Philippe (MRI): Yovanni made history for Mauritius, winning a bronze medal in the men’s 400m T20 event—marking the nation’s first-ever Paralympic medal podium finish. Yovanni too was making Paralympic Games debut at Paris 2024.

Deepthi Jeevanji (IND): Deepthi, the silver medalist from the 2023 Virtus Global Games, became the first Indian athlete with an intellectual impairment to win a Paralympic medal. Her time of 55.82 seconds in the T20 Women’s 400m earned her a historic bronze medal.

Barbara Bieganowska-Zajac (POL): Barbara becomes the first athlete with an intellectual impairment to win five Paralympic Gold medals from five Paralympic Games editions.

Meanwhile, Virtus Ambassador, Lenine Cunha, made headlines by becoming the first athlete with an intellectual impairment to be elected to the IPC Athletes’ Council. With 353 votes, Lenine ranked first among all candidates. Reflecting on his achievement, he said,

“The athletes’ voice embodies sports’ heart and soul… I aim to amplify the voices of athletes with intellectual impairments.“

These athletes have proven that athletes with intellectual impairments can compete at the highest levels and achieve extraordinary things. The #MakingInvisibleVISIBLE campaign is more relevant than ever, as these performances underscore the need to celebrate and recognize the abilities of athletes who often go unnoticed.

Let’s continue sharing their stories, breaking down barriers, and fostering an inclusive world where athletes with intellectual impairments are visible, celebrated, and given the platform they deserve!

Congratulations to all Virtus athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games!

Links:

• Lenine Cunha elected to IPC Athlete Council - Read full story
• Full story of 2024 Paris Paralympic Games - Read More