Five of Great Britain’s leading tennis players have been selected to compete for their country at the 2019 International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Global Games in Brisbane, Australia, from 12-19 October.

The selection of the British team is managed by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), with the team’s entry enabled through strong collaboration between them and the UK Sports Association (UKSA), the national World Intellectual Impairment Sport member.

Earlier this year, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that it would be endorsing the tennis competitions at the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games for the very first time.

Coached by Karen Ross, Dominic Iannotti, Fabrice Higgins, Thomas Mellor, Oliver Beadle and Anna McBride will go for titles.

Iannotti, Higgins and Mellor all played at the last World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in 2015, where Great Britain walked away with four medals – including gold in the men’s team event. Since then they have continued on a successful streak, with the team winning an impressive three golds at the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tennis World Championships in Paris, France, in 2018.

Anna McBride is the women’s singles champion whilst Ianotti and Higgins picked up the men’s doubles titles. McBride also teamed up with Ianotti to claim the mixed doubles gold.

Speaking of the team selection Ross commented:

“Great Britain is one of the leading nations for disability tennis and our record at previous World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships and World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games is proof of that. We’ve had some great success in the past few years and we’re excited to head out to Brisbane in October and continue our medal winning streak! I hope our team will inspire more people to pick up a racket and get involved with one of the many disability tennis sessions supported by the LTA across the UK.”

Tracey McCillen, Chief Executive of the UK Sports Association said:

“I am really excited to see what this team can do. Britain has consistently topped the table in tennis at World Intellectual Impairment Sport Championships and I have high hopes that this team will do the same. The Global Games is the pinnacle of World Intellectual Impairment Sport high performance events and I am proud of the work between UKSA and the LTA enabling players to achieve their ambitions at this level. Good luck to each and every one of the players. I know it will be a tough event, but I am confident you will represent Great Britain well.”

Alongside tennis, nine other sports will be contested in Brisbane. More than 1,000 athletes from around the world are expected to compete in the world’s biggest high performance sports event for athletes with an intellectual impairment.

Basketball Australia and Sport Inclusion Australia have announced the ten players selected to represent the Australian Pearls at their home 2019 International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Global Games in Brisbane from 12-19 October.

The competition will see the Australian Pearls bring two teams of five players each to defend their 2015 Global Games 3×3 title.

The Australian Pearls first played 3×3 when it was introduced at the last World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Ecuador in 2015.

Coming away with gold and bronze medals, the Pearls added to their history of achievements which has seen them medal in every international competition since winning gold at the 1992 Paralympics.

Ranked first in the world in both formats of the game, the Australian Pearls are the current World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games champions (5×5), World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champions (5×5), World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games champions (3×3) and World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champions (3×3).

“The 3×3 format is expanding in popularity around the world with many World Championships now playing this exciting format of the game we love,” said Pearls team manager, Sally Duncan.

“The rules for 3×3 make the game very fast, very physical and really exciting as a spectator sport.”

The 5th World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games will be the first time Australia has hosted the tournament and the Pearls are preparing to face teams from Japan, France, Mexico and Israel.

“The Pearls have been a dominant team in both forms of the game for many years now, a testimony to the commitment of players, coaching staff and Basketball Australia,” said Sport Inclusion Australia Chief Executive Officer, Robyn Smith.

“We look forward to watching them shine in front of families and friends on home soil in Brisbane in October.”

The Australian teams were selected following their training camp in Canberra at Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence in mid-June.

“The determination and commitment shown by the squad members has made it very difficult to select the final ten players and all of those trying out should be very proud of their contribution,” said Pearls head coach, Larry Davidson.

The two teams will consist of a contingent of experienced players matched with young talent.

“Senior players such as Mills, Papworth and the Anderson sisters will provide the core structure of our two teams,” said Davidson.

“Other players on their second and third tours will bring another level of experience and excitement into the two teams and we have three new young players who bring a lot of energy to the group.

“Seven of the players have represented Australia at multiple events, making this Australian Pearls team very rich in talent and international experience.”

The Australian Pearls team for the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games:

Brittany Anderson

Taylor Anderson

Montana Haag-Witherden

Cassandra Ivory

Kate Leckenby

Jess McCulloch

Eliza Mills

Kaitlyn Papworth

Evie Patterson

Louwanna Sheridan

Staff

Larry Davidson- Head Coach

Jo Larkin- Assistant Coach

Sarah Skidmore- Assistant Coach

Sally Duncan- Team Manager

The 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games will feature around 1,000 athletes competing in 10 sports in venues around Brisbane. It is the world’s biggest high performance sports event for athletes with intellectual impairments.

By Sport Inclusion Australia

A total of 39 swimmers – the largest ever – have been selected to represent Australia at their home 2019 International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Global Games in Brisbane from 12-19 October.

The team, announced by World Intellectual Impairment Sport member Sport Inclusion Australia, includes world record holders, Paralympians, world champions, a former Olympian and 11 debutants.

Australia has competed at every Global Games since the first in 2004. Their swimmers have dominated the pool, with the country finishing on top of the medals table at the last three editions.

Stand-out performances are expected from world record holders Liam Schluter, Phoebe Mitchell and Colin Marks.

As well as the II1 group for athletes with intellectual impairments, known in the Paralympics as S14s, the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games will see athletes competing in the II2 group as a full medal event for the first time following earlier trials. Another group, II3, will take place as a pilot as part of a research project.

The II2 group is for athletes with Down syndrome whilst II3 features swimmers with high functioning autism.

Mitchell has previously dominated at the Down syndrome World Championships and currently holds seven world records. She has a full programme having been selected in 11 events, but will have to cut back her events come Games time.

Adelaide’s Magdalena Moshi represented Tanzania at the London 2012 Olympics.  Now an Australian citizen, Moshi has resumed swimming and is looking forward to representing Australia in Brisbane in the II3 events.

“It is exciting to see the three groups coming together as one team for the first time as well as the blend of experienced and new swimmers.” said head coach Andrew (Herbie) Howard.

The team’s youngest competitor Lachlan Hanratty is just 15 years of age with Patrick Donachie the oldest competitor at 36.  Donachie first represented Australia at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics where he won gold in the 4x100m relay.

Before Brisbane 2019 Schluter, the world record holder in the 400m freestyle S14, will head to London, Great Britain, in September as part of the Australian Dolphins team for the World Para Swimming Championships along with Jade Lucy, Jack Ireland and Madeleine McTernan.

“Australia has a proud and successful record in swimming at all levels, it is exciting to see the blend of experience and youth in this team which we are sure will do Australia and themselves proud in Brisbane.” said Robyn Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Sport Inclusion Australia.

The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games will see the international debut of 11 Australia swimmers whilst 11 will go for the podium wearing the green and gold for the first time.

Swimming will be held at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane from 13-19 October 2019.

For more information on the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games visit www.globalgames2019.org

Australian Swim Team – World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games, Brisbane 2019

Joshua Alford (ACT)

Taylor Anderton (QLD)

Liam Bailey-Rose (QLD)*

Claire Barr (VIC)*

Russell Booysen (QLD)

Harry Cahill (QLD)

Katrina Coffey (QLD)

Amy Cook (NSW)

Michael Cox (QLD)

Lily Crawford (NSW)

Jack Dixon (QLD)

Patrick Donachie (NSW)

Bradley Doolan (VIC)

Jarrod Dyer (NSW)*

Nicole Fielden (QLD)*

Jeremy Gawne (QLD)

Darcy Gilson (NSW)*

Lachlan Hanratty (NSW)*

Nikesha Harding (NSW)

Gabriella Howells (NSW)

Jack Ireland (QLD)

Victoria Jessamine (NSW)*

Caitlin Kerby (QLD)

Mitchell Kilduff (NSW)

Paige Leonhardt (QLD)

Jade Lucy (NSW)

Colin Marks (QLD)

Madeleine McTernan (QLD)

Phoebe Mitchell (VIC)

Benjamin Morrison (VIC)

Magdalena Moshi (SA)*

Ashley-Kate Schlenner (QLD)

Liam Schluter (QLD)

Bailey Stewart (QLD)*

Benjamin Stokes (ACT)

Ruby Storm (VIC)

Mitchell Toohey (QLD)

Ashley Van Rijswijk (NSW)*

Sarah Wallace (QLD)*

Debutants identified with *

The International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) has confirmed that classification for the Paralympic sports of athletics, swimming and table tennis will be available at the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Brisbane, Australia, from 12-19 October.

In the past classification has proved to be a huge draw for countries looking to bring in new athletes ahead of the Paralympic Games. Brisbane 2019 will take place just 10 months before Tokyo 2020 and is also part of qualification for the next Paralympics in each of the sports.

The Global Games themselves are the world’s biggest high performance sports event for athletes with intellectual impairments. Over the years many athletes have made their international debut at the event and gone on to win medals at the at the Paralympic Games.

Classification in Brisbane will be managed by the International Federations.

World Para Athletics and World Para Swimming will offer a limited number of classification slots. World Intellectual Impairment Sport Members are required to liaise with their National Paralympic Committee on the athletes they wish to be classified.

If the number of athletes exceeds the number of slots then countries will be asked to prioritise, with an equal percentage of places allocated to each.

To be eligible for classification, athletes must appear on the World Intellectual Impairment Sport International Eligibility Master List, be registered on the World Para Athletics or World Para Swimming Sport Data Management System (SDMS) and hold a valid license for the 2019 season.

For table tennis, classification will be managed by the International Table Tennis Federation. Players must also appear on the World Intellectual Impairment Sport International Eligibility Master List and register for classification no later than one month before the competition.

A consent form must be completed and uploaded with the registration. An original copy must also be produced at the classification appointment.

The 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games will feature around 1,000 athletes competing in 10 sports.

As well as classification, athletics, swimming and table tennis competitions are also sanctioned by the relevant International Federation and results will go towards qualification for Tokyo 2020.

The International Federation for Intellectual Impairment Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) has launched a search for a trustee with a flare for corporate partnerships to give strategic direction to its fundraising and income generation activities.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport has enlisted the support of Trustees Unlimited, a specialist recruitment organisation for the not-for-profit sector.

The person will work with the Executive Director to take a strategic approach to identifying new corporate partnerships. Nick Parr, World Intellectual Impairment Sport’ Executive Director, said: “The increasing profile of para-sport means that this is an exciting time to be involved in our work and big opportunities are clearly out there.

“The potential is massive but like other small charities, even though we are an international organisation, we need a helping hand to capitalise on it.

“Whoever fills this position has the chance to make a real difference to the lives of 100,000s of people around the world.”

World Intellectual Impairment Sport is a member of the International Paralympic Committee. It is formed of more than 80 member organisations who manage sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment nationally. The World Intellectual Impairment Sport programme features 14 sports, three of which – swimming, athletics and table tennis – are in the Paralympic Games. World Intellectual Impairment Sport manages part of the pathway for elite athletes in all its sports, as well as World Championships and other competitions, promoting social inclusion along the way.

More information about the position can be found here.