Caironi headlines Italian team for IPC Athletics World Championships

Reigning Paralympic champion Martina Caironi is one of 13 athletes to be named in the Italian squad for the IPC Athletics World Championships ©Getty Images

Reigning Paralympic T42 100 metres champion Martina Caironi headlines a 13-strong Italian squad for the upcoming International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Doha, which was announced today by the Italian Federation of Paralympic and Experimental Sports.

Caironi, who has enjoyed a superb year so far after she broke the 200m world record three times in the month of June, will be hoping to defend her world titles at the event, which begins in the Qatari city on October 21 and concludes on October 31.

The 26-year-old defending long jump world champion equalled the T42 world record in 2015.

Current Paralympic, world and European shot put F11 champion Assunta Legnante has also been selected after recovering from an injury that has kept her out of action for large periods of the year.

Double world champion Oxana Corso, the world record holder in the 100m and 400m T35 classification, has been named in the team, alongside sprinter and long jumper Arjola Dedaj.

Shot put, discus and javelin thrower Carmen Acunto has also been selected.

Emmanuele di Marino will compete in the 100m, 200m, and 400m T44 events, while European T20 400m champion Ruud Koutiki is also due to participate.

The Italian team at the IPC Athletics World Championships will be captained by seven-times Paralympic champion Alvise de Vidi (right) ©Getty Images

Shot put and discus throw F11 competitor Oney Tapia and T44 long jump athlete Roberto La Barbera have been chosen to represent their country, as has Monica Contrafatto, who will compete in the 100m T42 race.

The Italian team will be captained by seven-times T51 athletics Paralympic gold medallist Alvise de Vidi, who also won the 25m butterfly title at the 1988 Paralympic Games in the South Korean capital Seoul.

Veteran De Vidi, who claimed four golds at Sydney 2000, also secured two bronze medals at the 2013 World Championships in Lyon, France and will compete in the 100m and 400m T51 events.

Around 1,400 athletes from 100 countries are expected to participate in the biennial event, the last major test ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in which 214 medal events are to be contested.