Date change for IWAS Wheelchair fencing World Championships

International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing has announced that the dates for the 2019 World Championships in Cheongju, South Korea, have changed.

The competition, which will be the biggest gathering of athletes ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, will now take place one week earlier from 17-23 September.

As well as world titles, fencers will be going for qualification spots for the Paralympic Games.

Five World Cups and the under 17 and under 23 World Championships will also take place this year.

The curtain raiser will be at the IWAS World Games in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, between 10-16 February. This will be a World Cup and the youth World Championships.

The World Cup circuit then moves to Pisa, Italy, from 21-24 March followed by Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 20-26 May. Warsaw, Poland, will host the final World Cup before the World Championships, from 10-15 July.

Following Cheongju 2019, the season will end in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, between 14-17 November.

The 2019 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Championships are expected to attract 200 athletes from 40 countries.

The last World Championship were held in Rome, Italy, in 2017.

Results and the full calendar can be found at IWAS Wheelchair Fencing’s website.

The 2019 IWAS World Games are a key development opportunity for multiple Paralympic sports. Featuring wheelchair fencing, archery, athletics, badminton, shooting, swimming and table tennis, over the years many of those that have competed have gone on to win medals at the Paralympic Games.

The event is open to all athletes with a physical impairment and also features youth and masters categories dependant on the sport.