ABU DHABI: The World Triathlon Para Championships will now be part of the upcoming World Triathlon Championship Series taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island on Nov. 5 and 6, Abu Dhabi Sports Council has announced.
It will be the first time that the tournament, presented by Daman, has included the competition for athletes of determination.
ADSC secretary-general, Aref Al-Awani, said: “We are delighted to welcome the World Triathlon Championship Series back to Abu Dhabi in 2021.
“The addition of the World Triathlon Para Championship adds to that excitement, and as a country dedicated to inclusion, we simply could not pass on the opportunity to host some of the most inspirational elite para triathletes from around the world here in the capital, just weeks after they competed at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.”
After missing out on the 2020 World Championships due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the world’s best para triathletes will now gather on Yas Island on the first weekend of November, just two months after their participation at the Paralympic races in Tokyo.
The race format will include nine sport classes of para triathlon competing in six medal events per gender, with 12 world champions to be crowned in Abu Dhabi. The Para Championships had previously been scheduled to take place in Milan, Italy.
Abu Dhabi will now host two consecutive World Triathlon Para Championships, with the race in 2021 serving also as a test for the 2022 World Championships that will be part of next year’s World Triathlon Championship Finals.
Alongside the Para Championships, 110 elite athletes will compete in the World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi.
The two-day triathlon event will also host a variety of races for amateur triathletes, including waves dedicated to athletes of determination.
Participants can choose from the super sprint, sprint, and Olympic race distances – either as an individual or as part of a relay team. The selection of race categories means that the event is open to athletes of all abilities. In line with government guidelines and to ensure the safety of all participants, the field will be limited, and the event will host races for athletes aged 18 years and over only. The junior races are expected to return in 2022.
World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi will mark the second stop of the World Triathlon Championship Series in 2022.
“This event also highlights Abu Dhabi’s unique ability to host major events and championships with the highest possible standards of safety and security, in line with our role as a leading global destination for sports events,” Al-Awani added.
World Triathlon president and IOC member, Marisol Casado, said: “We are absolutely delighted and grateful to our friends in Abu Dhabi who have stepped up to organize the Para Triathlon World Championships after Italy were unable to host.
“I know that the last year-and-a-half has been a difficult time for all para triathletes, so bringing them the opportunity of competing at the highest level and for the world titles is great news.
“To be able to have them taking the stage once more just a few months after the Paralympics will give them extra exposure and engagement that will be valuable for them and our sport,” she added.
