The 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships was a track and field competition for athletes with a disability open to International Paralympic Committee (IPC) affiliated countries within Europe, plus Azerbaijan and Israel. It was held in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom and lasted from 18 to 23 August. The competition was staged at Swansea University Stadium. Approximately 550 athletes from 37 countries attended the games.

Russia won the Games atop the medal table with 41 Gold medals, and also collected the greatest overall medal haul with 88. The host nation, Britain, finished third. Of the 37 competing nations, 34 managed to achieve a podium finish. There were seven world records set and a further seven European records, in a games that was beset by difficult weather conditions throughout the tournament.

Venue

The venue for the Championships was the Swansea University athletics stadium.

Format The 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships is an invitational tournament taking in track and field events. No combined sports were included in the 2014 Championships. Not all events were open to all classifications, though no events were contested between classifications.

Athletes finishing in first place are awarded the gold medal, second place the silver medal and third place the bronze. If only three competitors are available to challenge for an event then no bronze medal is awarded. Some events will be classed as 'no medal' events.

Coverage As with the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships, the IPC produced live streaming footage of the Championships on ParalympicSport.TV. In the United Kingdom Channel 4 continued their commitment to para-sport with their own live streaming website and daily live coverage shown on their sister channel More4.

Events

Opening ceremony The Championship opening ceremony took place at the Swansea University Stadium on the night of 18 August the day before the first events were held. The competition was officially opened by Welsh Assembly Minister John Griffiths followed by an address by the IPC president Sir Philip Craven.

The IPC flag carried into the stadium by schoolgirl Molly Hopkins, the youngest Swansea 2014 ambassador, Paralympian champion John Harris, swimmer Jack Thomas and games volunteer Harmony Dumay; before it was raised to signal the opening of the games. The swearing of the oaths were undertaken by Welsh athlete Josie Pearson, her coach Anthony Hughes, and on behalf of the officials by Matt Witt.

Entertainment was provided at the venue by singers Shaheen Jafargholi and John Adams; and the Morriston Orpheus Choir.

Classification

To ensure competition is as fair and balanced as possible, athletes are classified dependent on how their disability impacts on their chosen event/s. Thus athletes may compete in an event against competitors with a different disability to themselves. Where there are more than one classification in one event, (for example discus throw F54/55/56), a points system is used to determine the winner.

F = field athletes T = track athletes 11-13 – visually impaired, 11 and 12 compete with a sighted guide 20 – intellectual disability 31-38 – cerebral palsy or other conditions that affect muscle co-ordination and control. Athletes in class 31-34 compete in a seated position; athletes in class 35-38 compete standing. 41-46 – amputation, les autres 51-58 – wheelchair athletes

Schedule

 ● Opening ceremony   Events ● Closing ceremony Date → 18 19 20 21 22 23 100 m MenDetails T12T42T44T35T36T37T38T34T54 T33T53T51T13T11 T47 WomenDetails T42T44T37T34T51T53 T13T54T47T38T35T12T11 T36 T33T52 200 m MenDetails T47T44 T11T12T13T35T36T37T38T42T34T53 T54 WomenDetails T36 T12T35T44 T11 400 m MenDetails T51 T44T36T54T52T12 T53T37T38T47T13T20 T11T34 WomenDetails T13T53T47T54 T20T52 T44T37T38T12 T11 800 m MenDetails T53 T38T34T36 T54 WomenDetails T53T54 T34 1500 m MenDetails T52 T54 T20 T38T46T11 WomenDetails T11 T13 T46T13T20T54 5000 m MenDetails T13 T11 T54 WomenDetails T54 relay MenDetails T11-13 WomenDetails T35-38 Long jump MenDetails T11T47T12T37 T20T36T13 T38T44T42 WomenDetails T38T11 T12 T37T20T42 T47T44 High jump MenDetails T12T42 T47 T44 Triple jump MenDetails T47 Shot put MenDetails F20F38F57 F44F32 F34F42F36F35 F33F12F46 F55F40F37F53F41 WomenDetails F37F32F35 F20F40F55 F12 F36F57F41 F33F53F34 Discus throw MenDetails F12F34 F56F38 F52F11 F44 F57F46F42 WomenDetails F55F40F52F41 F57 F11F12F44 F38 Javelin throw MenDetails F46F42 F57F34F41 F44F38F56 F40F54 F12 WomenDetails F12 F56F46F37 F34F54 Club throw MenDetails F32 F51 WomenDetails F51 F32 Ceremonies ● ●

Medal table The end medal table after day 5, showing all medal winning countries.

Multiple medallists Many competitors won multiple medals at the 2014 Championships. The following athletes won four medals or more. Name Country Medal EventMargarita Goncharova100m - T38 400m - T38 Long jump - T38 relay - T35-38 Henry Manni100m - T34 200m - T34 400m - T34 800m - T34 Manuela Schär400m - T54800m - T541500m - T545000m - T54Marcel Hug800m - T541500m - T545000m - T54400m - T54Kenny van Weeghel200m - T54400m - T54100m - T54800m - T54Marc Schuh400m - T54100m - T54200m - T54800m - T54

Highlights Broken records Fourteen records were broken including seven world records. EventRoundNameNationTime/DistanceDateRecordMen's 400m T37FinalAndrei Vdovin 50.9122 AugustWRMen's 5000m T13FinalAlexey Akhtyamov15:07.1320 AugustERMen's High Jump T44FinalMaciej Lepiato2.17m22 AugustWRMen's Discus Throw F44FinalDan Greaves62.34m22 AugustERMen's Discus Throw F54FinalDrazenko Mitrovic33.6820 AugustWRWomen's 100m T12SemifinalOxana Boturchuk12.0019 AugustERWomen's 400m T38FinalMargarita Goncharova1:03.4022 AugustWRWomen's 400m T44FinalMarie-Amelie Le Fur1:01.4122 AugustWRWomen's Relay T35-38FinalZhanna FekolinaMargarita GoncharovaAnna SapozhnikovaSvetlana Sergeeva53.5323 August WRWomen's Long Jump T37FinalAnna Sapozhnikova4.4621 AugustERWomen's Shot Put F37FinalEva Berna11.0119 August ERWomen's Discus Throw F12FinalSofia Oksem45.9722 August WRWomen's Javelin Throw F53FinalSvitlana Stetsyuk10.5022 AugustERWomen's Club Throw F51FinalJoanna Butterfield17.6822 AugustER

Participating nations Below is the list of countries who agreed to participate in the Championships and the requested number of athlete places for each.

6 5 6 5 10 15 7 2 11 19 32 52 35 7 8 3 2 13 8 11 1 1 4 23 33 22 3 74 9 5 2 31 8 9 12 24 34

See also 2014 European Athletics Championships

Footnotes Notes

References

External links

Official web-site