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Two cyclists are pictured during a race, making a huge amount of effort.

Going for gold: Duinkerke on the road to Brisbane 2019

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By Giuseppe Napoli | For Virtus: World Intellectual Impairment Sport

Dutch cyclist Joannathan Duinkerke is hoping for redemption at the 2019 International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Global Games in Brisbane, Australia, as he aims for an illusive world title.

Going the distance could easily be the motto of every cyclist. For Duinkerke however, the phrase has one special meaning and it goes from Assen, the Netherlands, to Brisbane, passing through Paris, France.

At the last two World Championship, in Assen in 2017 and Paris last year, Duinkerke won two bronze and two silver medals in the team time trial and men’s road race.

These results left him disappointed as he fell short of his expectations. His biggest regret is not stepping onto the podium at home in Assen.

“It’s a competition I will not want to remember,” Duinkerke said.  “I was disappointed with myself and with the whole team. If everything had gone well together, I could have performed better”.

But from 12-19 October the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games – the world’s biggest high performance sports event for athletes with an intellectual impairment – will provide the ideal stage for Duinkerke to try to lay his ghosts to rest.

“It is a great honor to be allowed to participate in such an important event in a far away country, the highest possible in my career. It’s a dream come true,” he said. “My goal is always to be the best, it is what motivates me to train. As an athlete, I am very persistent and I just don’t give up. I know how to manage myself and fight to win.”

The pursuit of excellence has been a constant in the cyclist’s career and now, close to turning 30, he is ready to add another gold to an impressive resume.

The life of a cyclist is constant sacrifice and meticulous discipline in order to excel. Duinkerke is no exception.

“I train six days per week and I have one day off, I follow carefully my schedule. I also have a nutritionist who follows me and sets up a diet. The athlete’s lifestyle fits me well. The structure, the urge to perform. I am happy to be a top athlete in my environment.”

The commitment does however have its downsides as well: “The hardest part is when things do not run as you want. I think that mentally can be heavy sometimes. Sometimes you also face difficult choices and you have to say no to nice things because you need to train.”

The Brisbane 2019 Global Games will be an important showcase, not only for the World Intellectual Impairment Sport cycling community, but for the entire movement for athletes with intellectual impairments.

“Everyone can play sports, regardless of what restriction you have,” Duinkerke concluded.

The 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games are expected to attract around 1,000 athletes from 80 countries. The event, which takes place every four years, will feature 11 sports including the road cycling World Championships for men, women and teams.

Research into pacing for athletes with intellectual impairments

Vital research funded into pacing for athletes with intellectual impairments

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The International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) will receive funding from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to carry out classification research in athletics, swimming, Nordic skiing and cycling.

The project focuses on what impact intellectual impairments have on pacing in endurance sports. It will be carried out by the Leuven University in Belgium.

A growing number of scientists believe that pacing is linked to the brain. Several things affect this area of sport – the ability to plan tactics ahead of, and responding to tiredness during, a race and reacting to the actions of opponents.

Pacing is at least partly influenced by the intellectual capacity of an athlete. Therefore having an intellectual impairment will affect pacing ability and, as a consequence, the outcome of a race.

Insight in this area will help develop a classification system for Nordic skiing and cycling. It will also improve the existing sport specific tests for athletics and swimming.

Speaking about a total of seven research projects funded from across the para-sport spectrum, IPC Medical Director Peter Van De Vliet said:

“I would like to thank all applicants for their submission. It is great to see how an increasing number of IFs [International Federations] and sports turn their attention to a scientific approach of critically reviewing and further developing their classification system.

“Almost all applications made reference to the concepts of classification research currently adopted by the IPC, and I would like to thank the IPC Classification Research & Development Centres in assisting the IPC in promoting these concepts across the Movement.

“In the end, it was a difficult final selection under the available resources of the Grant Scheme, and the IPC is committed to further support this programme in the next years.”

Chelsey Gotell, IPC Athletes’ Council Chairperson, said: “Classification affects all athletes and is heavily discussed within the athlete community. As the Paralympic Movement continues to evolve, it is imperative that every International Federation takes a closer look at their current classification model to ensure that it is appropriately servicing their current and future athletes.

“As each International Federation embarks on critically reviewing their classification process, I urge them to engage their Athletes’ Councils and Athlete Representatives – or the IPC Athletes’ Council if they do not have a current athlete representative model in place – in the process, to ensure that the athlete voice is constructively and effectively incorporated into the future of the sport.”

Applications were reviewed by external scientific experts, and a Selection Committee made the final decision.

The IPC’s Research Grant Scheme was launched in June 2017. International Federations (IFs), International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled (IOSDs) and Recognised International Federations could apply to receive support for the development of sport-specific, evidence-based classification systems as defined in the 2015 IPC Athlete Classification Code.

Preview: Cycling Worlds highlight August’s action

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With the summer season now in full swing, the world’s best athletes with an intellectual impairment continue their quest for glory on the global stage in August.

2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cycling Championships

Athletes from nine countries, including hosts the Netherlands, will compete on the road between 1-4 August in and around Assen. The French duo of Jeremy Pereira and Aurelie Minodier are both defending champions, and will contest their titles in the men’s and women’s individual time trial and road race. A team time trial is also scheduled.

Live updates and pictures from Assen 2017 will be available World Intellectual Impairment Sport’ Facebook and Twitter throughout the event.

Route maps, results and entries are available at the Championships website.

Table tennis Asian Championships

From 23-31 August Para table tennis players will light up Beijing, China, for one of the most competitive regional Championships in the sport.

More information is available at the International Table Tennis Federation website. 

2017 World Para Athletics Junior Championships

The competition in Nottwil, Switzerland, is the first of its kind and will feature around 275 aspiring young athletes. These will include future stars of track and field with an intellectual impairment competing in T/F20 events.

Portugal’s Ana Filipe will compete on the back of a bronze medal in the women’s long jump T20 at July’s World Championships in London, Great Britain.

Expect a fast and furious few days between 3-6 August as athletes take to the notoriously fast track at the Sport Arena.

More information is available at World Para Athletics’ website.

2017 Pan American Para Taekwondo Championships

Featuring Poomsae for athletes with an intellectual impairment, the Pan Ams will see three age categories contested – junior (12-15 years), under 30 (16-29 years) and over 30.

The event will take place on 29 August in San Jose, Costa Rica.

More information is available at the Pan Am Taekwondo Union’s website.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport represents more than 300,000 athletes with intellectual impairments around the world. We give elite athletes the chance to compete at an international level and on the Paralympic stage. But we cannot continue our work towards the inclusion of the people with intellectual impairments in sport and society without your support.

We are a registered charity and your help can make a big difference. Find out more. 

World’s best cyclists ready to take on World Championships

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Elite level cyclists from nine countries have arrived in Assen, the Netherlands, for the 2017 International Federation for Intellectual Impairment Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) World Cycling Championships which get underway on Tuesday (1 August).

The competition, featuring team and individual time trials and road races for men and women, is being run alongside the European Junior Cycling Tour.

The field is highlighted by the return of respective French men’s and women’s world champions Jeremy Pereira and Aurelie Minodier.

In 2016 Pereira claimed the men’s road race and individual time trial titles in Racice, Czech Republic.

The 23-year-old wants to “win the world champion title once again” in Assen but is also aware of the threat from the hosts.

“I think the Dutch could beat me, especially as we are racing in their home country, it is definitely an advantage for them,” Pereira said. “I am planning to follow thoroughly the instructions of my coach.”

One of Pereira’s toughest competitors will be Joannathan Duinkerke. The Dutch athlete was the bronze medallist from the 2016 road race and one-half of the title-winning duo from the team time trial with teammate Davy Mertens.

Mertens will challenge for gold in the individual time trial as the third place finisher from the last edition.

Minodier meanwhile will try to defend her road race and individual time trial golds from Racice.

The 24-year-old Frenchwoman aims to “keep [her] titles and pursue [her] efforts to the end” but will be looking over her shoulder at the Polish and Russian racers.

Russia’s Liubov Tarasova will be looking to improve on her silver medal from the individual time trial and bronze in the road race from 2016.

Action gets underway with the men’s and women’s individual time trial on 1 August. The men’s and women’s team time trial follows on 3 August (subject to entries) with the men’s and women’s road race on 4 August.

Full entries, course maps and results are available at https://inasdrenthe.com/ and live updates posted to Facebook.com/World Intellectual Impairment Sportsport and Twitter (@World Intellectual Impairment Sportsport).

Support us

World Intellectual Impairment Sport represents more than 300,000 athletes with intellectual impairments around the world. We give elite athletes the chance to compete at an international and on the Paralympic stage. But we cannot continue our work towards the inclusion of the world’s biggest impairment group in society without your support.

We are a registered charity and your help can make a big difference.

France’s Pereira targets cycling world title defence

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Jeremy Pereira and

French men’s road race and individual time trial world champion Jeremy Pereira is eyeing the successful defence of his titles when the 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cycling Championships roll into Assen, the Netherlands, from Wednesday (2 August).

At the last edition in the Czech Republic in 2016 the 23-year-old stormed to double gold and was part of the French duo that claimed silver in the men’s team time trial with Mickael Collin.

He is clear what he wants this time around: “Win the world champion title once again.”

But Pereira knows he will face tough competition, especially from the hosts.

“I think the Dutch could beat me, especially as we are racing in their home country, it is definitely an advantage for them,” he said. “I am planning to follow thoroughly the instructions of my coach.”

One of Pereira’s toughest competitors will be Joannathan Duinkerke. The Dutch athlete was the bronze medallist from the 2016 individual road race and one-half of the title-winning duo from the team time trial alongside teammate Davy Mertens.

Duinkerke has had a great season, winning in the road race at the Dutch Championships for athletes with an intellectual impairment.

Pereira favours the time trial as he hopes to convert his training performances into success on the road.

“My favourite contest is the time trial because I achieve good results in all of my trainings and it is often done on a short circuit so I can give all I have all along the race.”

The Frenchman has been cycling for fun since the age of 12. He began competitive cycling with the French Federation of Adapted Sports in 2014 after riding 300km from Pont Audemer in France to London, Great Britain, ahead of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“I can escape, I am not thinking of anything else and it feels good, and I also like seeing the landscape,” Pereira said of his love for two wheels. “It is helping me to release my stress, I climb on my bike almost daily in order to relax.”

Pereira is also on the road to the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Brisbane, Australia, where he will try to improve on his silver medal from the individual time trial and retain the team title with Collin. Collin will also compete in Assen.

The 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Cycling World Championships will feature the world’s best cyclists with an intellectual impairment from nine countries.

Action gets underway with the men’s and women’s individual time trial on 1 August. The men’s and women’s team time trial follows on 3 August with the men’s and women’s road race on 4 August.

Support us

World Intellectual Impairment Sport represents more than 300,000 athletes with intellectual impairments around the world. We give elite athletes the chance to compete at an international and on the Paralympic stage. But we cannot continue our work towards the inclusion of the world’s biggest impairment group in society without your support.

We are a registered charity and your help can make a big difference.

Entry deadlines approach for World Championships

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An intellectually impaired table tennis player from Asia

Japan’s Maki Ito competes in the women’s singles table tennis – Class 11 at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images for Tokyo 2020)

Entry deadlines for International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) World Championships in basketball, table tennis and road cycling are edging closer, including the first competition to feature athletes with down syndrome and autism.

The 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Table Tennis Championships in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, from 21-29 October will feature the two new impairment groups and is one of the year’s most anticipated events.

The additions were signed off at the World Intellectual Impairment Sport General Assembly in April, in an exciting development for high performance intellectual disability sport.

The deadline for teams to register their intention to compete is 30 June. The entry pack is available on the World Intellectual Impairment Sport website. 

The 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cycling Championships will take place as part of the European Junior Cycling Tour Assen between 30 July and 4 August in the Netherlands. Organisers have been busy creating an exciting programme for athletes both in and around the competition, including a cultural day on 2 August.

The individual time trial will kick start the action on 1 August, followed by the team time trial on 3 August and road race 24 hours later.

The entry deadline is 15 June and can be made via World Intellectual Impairment Sport’ athlete registration system ISMS. 

Rounding off the trio of events is the 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Basketball Championships in Loana, Italy, from 20-26 November. The entry pack is available at the World Intellectual Impairment Sport website and must be submitted by 30 June. 

Judo and swimming World Championships will also take place in 2017.

From 19-22 October judoka will gather in Cologne, Germany, for the World Intellectual Impairment Sport sanctioned competition. Then from 27 November to 4 December swimmers will compete in Aguascalientes, Mexico, for the first World Championships in the Americas.

Information about entries for both events is available at the World Intellectual Impairment Sport website.