DAY 2 OF COMPETITION

The second day of competition at the World Junior Games in the city of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico saw outstanding performances from some of the World’s best disabled youngsters.

The Games for athletes with physical disabilities under the age of 23 features Swimming, Archery, Athletics and Para Triathlon.

In the morning at the picturesque Altos de Saman Archery Range archers from USA, Iraq and Brazil competed for medals

Iraq sent four archers to Puerto Rico, 2 women and 2 men.

In the 50m Recurve event there was a new Junior World Record set when Mohanad Kareem Jasim Al Gburi of Iraq scored a total of 670 points.

Mitchell Miles from Louisiana in the USA won gold in the Compound Men’s Under 20 category and fellow American Melanie Watson won bronze in the Womens Compound event.

Mitchell who was cheered on by his watching parents was delighted with his gold medal and said ” That today was one the proudest in his life and that he would be setting his sights to qualify for the USA team at the 2016 Paralympics”.

When not training, Mitchell spends time at home on the family agriculture farm and showcasing pigs and cows at local shows.

It was a golden evening for the German swimmers in the pool later in the day when they dominated the session.

Leading the way was Nils Bender who won 3 individual Gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly and the 400m freestyle. There were

also some medal winning performances by team mates Denise Grahl, Bastian Fontayro and Erik van de Logt.

Indian swimmer Sanjay Swapnil  win gold in the 100m backstroke and the 50m freestyle.

Sunday sees the final session of the Archery tournament and in the evening it’s the first session of track and field athletics in the Central American Stadium.

The Para Triathon event concludes the World Junior Games on Wednesday 14th August before the evenings Closing Ceremony.

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With the 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil fast approaching these World Junior Games will help promote Paralympic sport in Central America and the Caribbean and with the theme of the Games slogan “Inspire, Excel and Succeed”  the Championships is a valuable event in the Paralympic calendar to help develop young athletes from grass roots through to the elite level of sport.

The city of Mayaguex is the third largest city in Puerto Rico and is located in the West coast of the Island.

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The 10th World Junior Games  are scheduled  to be held at Stoke Mandeville Sports Stadium in the UK between the 3rd to the 8th August 2014.

For further information, please visit website:      http://www.iwasjr2013.com/ or  www.iwasf.com

Notes to the Editor:

Our Mission: IWAS is a founder member of the Paralympic movement, has the mission to develop sporting opportunities for athletes to maximize their potential .

It is the only organisation that provides a full international competition programme at the entry, development and qualifying levels in support of the IPC and the Paralympic movement

For further details please contact

Charmaine Hooper

Chief Operating Officer

International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation

Olympic Lodge, Guttmann Road, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks HP21 9PP, UK

Mobile: +44 (0)7813 405185, Tel: +44 (0)1296 436179, Fax: +44 (0)1296 436484
e-mail:  [email protected]