A team of Irish Senior and Academy Para athletes will travel to Bedford, UK this weekend to compete at the England Athletics Senior Para Championships.
In the absence of a World Para Athletics European Championships or World Junior Championships in 2026, the competition provides an important opportunity for the athletes to gain championship experience and test themselves against international opposition.
Irish Athletes
Brandon Ballard (UCD AC)
T20 – 1500m
Shauna Bocquet (Craughwell AC)
T54 – 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m
Damien Moyles (Moy Valley AC)
T13 – 100m, 400m
Fionán Ruane (Moy Valley AC)
T13 – 100m, 200m
Aryell Sheedy (Donore Harriers AC)
T37 – 200m, 400m
Lana Sutton (UCD AC)
T38 – 100m, 400m
Understanding Para Athletics Classifications
Para athletics uses a classification system designed to minimise the impact an athlete’s eligible impairment has on the outcome of competition.
The letter T denotes track events, with the number identifying the athlete’s sport class.
The classifications represented by the Irish athletes competing in Bedford are:
- T13 – Athletes with a vision impairment
- T20 – Athletes with an intellectual impairment
- T37 and T38 – Athletes with co-ordination impairments, including hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis
- T54 – Wheelchair racing classification for athletes with an impairment affecting their range of movement
Athletics Ireland wishes Brandon, Shauna, Damien, Fionán, Aryell and Lana the very best of luck in Bedford this weekend.
