After two days of rigorous competition, the 2022 Virtus World Cross Country Championship concluded on Sunday in San Diego, USA. Both long-course and short-course races were offered to the athletes to compete in. Paralympians like Michael Brannigan, Gael Geofrey and Breanna Clark made their way to the championship.

The championship turned out to be of huge success for the host nation, claiming five out of the eight golds from the championship and topping the medal tally.

Winners of Men’s II1 long and short course race. (From left) Adam Angalone, Michael Brannigan and Gael Geoffrey. Picture Credit- Bob Bettancourt

In the II1 category, Paralympian Michael Brannigan (USA) became the host nation’s superstar by winning three golds in 8K long course, 4k short course and overall Men’s team event alongside team mates Adam Angelone, Benjamin Bluemond, Tyler Wingington, Tae Sebastian, Kenneth Noguchi and Ishaan Ramanathan Eye.

Although Spain came second in the Men’s 4K teams event, the team defeated the host nation in the long course 8K event adding gold to their medal tally. The team consist of Adrián Parras Álvarez, Jose Martínez Moron, Raúl Martínez Garri, Ibai Magdaleno Pala and Jesús Fernández Pére.

Gael Geoffrey from France, who competed in 1500m at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, finished third in both the long course and short course. He was also part of the French team who won the bronze in the Men’s team event.

Winners for II1 Women’s long and short course race. (From left) Franziska Dziallas (GER), Kaitlyn Bounds (USA) and Aleksandra Gustaffson (SWE). Picture credit- Bob Bettancourt

In the Women’s short course race, Kaitlyn Bounds from the host nation won the gold (7:34sec) by defeating Franziska Dziallas from Germany (7:51sec). Sweden’s Aleksandra Gustaffson settled for the bronze. The podium finish was repeated by the American, German and Swedish runners in the exact same sequence in the long course.

Two-time Paralympic Champion in 400m Breanna Clark who tried her luck in Cross country for the first time finished fourth in the short course race.

Jason David from France. Picture credit- Bob Bettancourt

In the Men’s II2 category, Jason David from France became the first athlete ever to participate in a cross-country competition. He was the sole participant in both short and long-course events in the men’s category in II2.

Full results are available here.

The 2022 World Para Table Tennis Championship took place in Granada, Spain between 6th and 12th of November.

A total of 32 athletes with intellectual impairment, 16 men and 16 women took part in the competition in the Class 11 category. Players who attracted the greatest attention were the returning Paralympic Champions. However, major casualties occurred in both men’s and women’s matches where many Tokyo2020 medallists failed to progress to the semi-finals.

Australia’s Samuel Von Einem was beaten by Kim Chang Gi by 3-2 in the first round whilst in the quarterfinals, Hungary’s Peter Palos lost to Kim Gi Tae from South Korea 3-0, and Cuesta Eduardo from Spain took down Lucas Creange (FRA) 3-2.

Kim Gi Tae (S.KOR) in action. Picture Credit- ITTF

From not qualifying to the semi-finals at the Paralympic Games last year to becoming the World no.1, South Korea’s Kim Gi Tae made quite a comeback. He emerged as the most successful player of the championship, securing gold in all three possible events – men’s singles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles – the only player to achieve the feat.

In Men’s singles, Gi Tae overpowered Kim Chang and claimed the championship title by 3-0 (11-7,11-7,11-3) whilst in the doubles he and partner Jeong Kyuyoung grabbed the top spot on the podium by 3-0 win over Japan’s Takes Takemori and Kate Koya. Zhao Antoine and Ivaldi Timothe from France settled for the Bronze.

In Mixed doubles, once again South Korea dominated everyone. Kim Gi Tae and Seo Yang Hee (S.Korea) won the Gold by beating Japanese team (Asian Takashi/Furukawa Kanami) and French players Lea ferney and Lucas Creange settled for Bronze.

In the Women’s section, beating Maki Ito from Japan by 3-0, French superstar Lea Ferney secured herself a spot in the finals. Meanwhile, Polish player Lysiak Krystyna ended the hopes of Nowacka Dorota (POL) and entered the finals by 3-0.

In the finals, determined to win the championship, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist from France crushed her Polish opponent Lysiak Krystyna by 3-0.

Lea Ferney smashing in the finals. Picture Credit- ITTF

“I am glad to win the Gold. I started at 3rd rank and I am the first now, its a great feeling. Me and my coach prepared strategies before the competition and watched videos, and tried to do as we decided. This competition was great.” said Lea Ferney.

In Women’s doubles, Hong Kong’s NG Mui Wiu and Wong Ting Ting, defeated Lea Ferney and Anne Divet by 3-0. Turkey and Poland grabbed the final spot on the podium.

Full results can be accessed from ITTF Website.

While Australia continues to stay on top of the medal tally, Japan yet again proved that it is the powerhouse when it comes to shattering records. They also took two out of three Golds in table tennis.

Swimming

On day-4 of the ongoing 2022 Virtus OA Games, the hungry Japanese relay teams shattered two more Virtus World Records today in the 4x50m medley relay in both men’s and women’s II1 categories. The men’s team consisting of Saito Masaki, Yamaguchi Naohide, Matsuda Anku and Kagose Rei broke the previous record of 1:53.76sec by timing 1:52.20sec. On the other hand, the women’s team of Fukui Kasumi, Serizawa Mikita, Inoue Mama and Kinoshita Aira clocked a new Virtus record time of 2:11.06sec.

In the same event, Australia also broke the Oceania record with 2:16.03sec which was set in 2019. Thompson Kale, Bruzzese Stephanie, Younes Yasmine-Bella and Lucy Jade were swimming for Australia in this race who added silver to Australia’s tally.

In II1 Women’s 200m Freestyle, Aira Kinoshita from Japan broke Asia’s record twice today. Clocking a time of 2:13.70sec, she broke it first in the prelims and later in the finals, she set the new record for 2:11.16sec.

In Women’s 50m Butterfly, Yui Lam Chan from Hong Kong had it all prepared to break her own Virtus record which she set in 2019. While she managed to succeed in her plan by timing 30.25sec, 00.17sec lesser than her previous record time, Corry Taylor (AUS)snatched away the Gold medal from Yui Lam along with the Virtus World Record with a time of 30.06.

Wai Lok Tang from Honk-Kong created a new Asia’s record in II1 Men’s 50m Breaststroke with 31.81sec.

Full swimming results can be accessed here.

Table Tennis

It was yet another exhilarating day at the  Sleeman Sports Complex where the finals of II1 doubles matches were staged.

Japan and Hong Kong made their way into the finals by beating Chinese Taipei and Macau by 3-2 and 3-0 respectively.

The finals couldn’t be more thrilling. Honk kong won the first two sets with a huge lead of 11-4 and 11-9 pushing the Japanese team into the third and deciding set. With tremendous pressure of winning the set to stay in the game, the Japanese team brought their A-game and dragged the third set to deciding points and dramatically won it by 14-12, after which there was no turning back. Miya Yamaguchi and Kawasaki Ayumi (JPN) kept on returning smashes across the table and won the next two sets by 11-4 and 11-7, winning the finals by 3-2 over Wong Put Key and Wong Ka Man from Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Li Lydia Yi-Ya and Li Jing Shaun from Chinese Taipei had a smooth win over Japan’s Wada Natsuki and Ota Ayumi with a score of 13-11, 13,11 and 11-7.

In II1 Men’s doubles, Japan took a head start by winning the first two sets by 11-9, 11-6 against Chinese Taipei. However, winning the third set by 11-9, Chen Po Yen and Hseieh Fei from Chinese Taipei kept their position steady in the match. In the fourth match, Yamamoto Shunta and Hara Hajime started playing aggressively to which the Chinese Taipei team had no defence and lost the Gold to Japan by 11-9. Indonesia and Hong kong took the final podium spot.

In the mixed doubles, Shunta Yamamoto paired up with Wada Natsuki for Japan and played against their fellow countrymates Hara anime and Yamaguchi Miya. While Yamamoto and Wada won the first match by 11-9, Hara and Yamaguchi won the next matches by 11-5, 11-9 and went a step closer to the Gold. Winning the next match, Yamamoto and Wada pushed Chinese Taipei into the deciding match. Both the teams gave tough competition to each other and pushed the final set beyond typical match points but Hara and Yamaguchi couldn’t shake the determined mood of Yamamoto and Wada and lost the final set by 14-12. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Po Yen and Li Jing Shiuan and Japan’s Yoshikawa Aoto and Kawasaki Ayumi settled for Bronze.

Full match stats can be accessed from the ITTF website.

Here are some actions from the doubles matches played today.

Medal tally for new nations and debutants opened yesterday

On Day-1 of the Athletics competition at the 2022 Virtus OA Games taking place at the Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre, many debutant athletes scripted history by winning first-ever medal for their country.

Mohammad Bin Yakub showing off his Gold medal (P.C- SG Disability Sports Council)

Mohammad Bin Yakub added the first medal- Gold to the tally for Singapore at the games. Yakub clocked a timing of 11.59sec in II1 Men’s 100m finals. Coming second was New Zealand’s Josh lush, who also scripted history by opening the medal tally for his country.

In II1 Men’s 400m Hurdles, Mi Ramazani Torkamani claimed Gold for Iran.

In II1 men’s Javelin throw, Hassan Deghani from Iran claimed Gold for his country Iran by covering a distance of 40.17m. In the same event, Cosmol Maefolia representing Soloman Island brought their first Silver medal. He covered a distance of 31.14m.

“I feel very very happy for being the first athlete to win a medal for my country,” said Cosmol.

In Girls, II1 400m (youth), Has Lei Chio won Silver for Macau with a timing of 1:24.74sec.

In II2 Men’s 100m, Fiji’s Wise Togotogorua, who debuted in Virtus events today, won the Bronze for his country. Fiji is a new member nation of Virtus.

II1 Women’s 100m, Rica Oktavia won Bronze for Indonesia.

Japanese athletes set four new records

The powerhouse Japan has broken three records already in the pool.

Anku Matsuda from Japan smashed the Para World Record in Men’s II1 200m Butterfly yesterday at the 2022 Virtus OA Games with a time of 2:08.45sec.

Japanese II1 women’s team set a new Virtus World Record in II1 4x100m Medley relay with an outstanding timing of 4:28.23sec.

Storming towards the end with a timing of 4:05.97sec, their counterparts did the same in the Men’s II1 4x100m Medley relay set new Virtus World Record. 

Clocking a time of 2:21:26sec, Naohide Yamaguchi set a new Virtus Asia Record in the Men’s 200m Breaststroke II1 category.

Here is a highlight video from Day-2 of the OA games.

The 2022 Virtus Oceania-Asia Games were declared open today at King George Square, Brisbane by Robyn Smith OAM, CEO of Sport Inclusion Australia, Virtus Vice President and IPC Governing Board Member at Large, Member-elect Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032 and Patrick Chan, President of Virtus Asia and Governing board member of Virtus.

Athletes from 25 countries marched in their colourful national uniforms from Reddacliff place, down Queen Street Mall and into King George Square for the opening ceremony. The ceremony was attended by Helen Croxford, President of the Sport Inclusion Australia Board and Chair of the OA Games 2022 Organising Committee, Duane Kale Vice- President of the International Paralympic Committee, Counsellor Angela Owen, from Brisbane City Council who was also representing the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Jessica Pugh representing the Premier of Queensland, Barry Holman, Secretary General of Virtus, Patrick Chan, President of Virtus Asia and Governing board member of Virtus and Robyn Smith OAM, CEO of Sport Inclusion Australia, Virtus Vice President and IPC Governing Board Member at Large, Member-elect Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032.

The celebration was started by Shannon Ruska who performed a traditional ‘smoking ceremony’ of the stage for the official welcome to the country. This was followed by the Australian National anthem recitation by Emma Tomlinson and the DLDC choir and an exhilarating gymnastic performance by the Dynamite studios.

Welcoming the athletes and officials from OA regions, Jessica Pugh mentioned, “It’s really, really special to be here on the land of the oldest continuing living culture here in Australia. For me, sport is always about being part of something bigger than yourself. We absolutely love to see how sports contribute to Australia and the Queensland Government and are really proud to be able to provide a bit of a contribution financially“.

Angela Owen, Councillor of Brisbane City Council

Duane Kale, the Vice-President of the International Paralympic Committee was also delighted to be attending the games. 

Duane Kale, Vice-President International Paralympic Committee. P.C- Paralympic New Zealand

“It’s an absolute privilege to see the nations run in the true spirit of inclusion. It has not been limited to Oceania in Asia and as you’ve seen from the flags behind me, we have representatives here from many parts of the world and that’s what inclusion is about. IPC is delighted to see the pathways that your countries and your governments are providing about opportunities for people with an intellectual impairment to participate in sport and not just participate to make a career out of a sport, and to change your lives and to change the lives of others that will follow in your footsteps.”

Robyn Smith emphasised how important this combined regional game is for both the Oceania and Asia regions, and how this event will provide an opportunity for athletes to not only compete but also to get classified in their region without requiring them to travel to a different continent.

Robyn Smith OAM, CEO of Sport Inclusion Australia, Virtus Vice President and IPC Governing Board Member at Large

“We’re really honoured to have you all here in Brisbane, Australia. It wouldn’t be possible if not for the three tiers of government that have supported us in such a substantial way, the Federal Government, the Queensland Government and the Brisbane City Council who after our success in the 2019 Global Games and a horrible pandemic, decided to support us again to allow us to do this.”

Further, she also stated, “We’re also delighted to be able to work with the International Paralympic Committee and offer classification for many of you. So in the three pathways that go through to the Paralympics, it’s been wonderful to have the classifiers from all around the world be here in Australia to offer that opportunity for you where you strive for Paris 2024 and as Duane said, LA 2028 and potentially Brisbane in 2032.”

The OA Games athlete ambassador Alberto Campbell and Caitlin Papworth took the athlete’s oath which was followed by technical officials Patricia Terrarium and Patrick Kellen who took the official oath for the OA Games. For the next seven days, the multi-sport event will offer competitions in eleven sports: Athletics, Basketball, Judo, Swimming, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Sailing, Cycling and Rowing, and a demonstration of Taekwondo as well as Badminton.

Virtus wishes the athletes all the best for the events ahead. For those who missed it, here is a recording of the spectacular opening ceremony.