International Paralympic Committee reveal dates and venues for 2016 Athletics Grand Prix

The IPC has revealed the dates and venues for the 2016 Athletics Grand Prix ©Getty Images

The International Paralympic Committee has announced the dates and venues for the 2016 Athletics Grand Prix, with the 10-event series scheduled to start in Australian capital Canberra on February 5.

The city will play host to its first-ever Grand Prix, ending on February 7, following a successful event in Brisbane this year.

The circuit then heads to Dubai on March 15 and 16.

African will then stage its only event on the calendar as Tunisian capital Tunis is due to welcome the world’s top Para-athletes the following week.

The first European stop on the circuit is due to take place from April 8 to 10 in Grosetto, Italy, before Chinese capital Beijing hosts the next event from April 22 to 24, the fourth successive year the city has held a Grand Prix competition.

Arizona State University has been confirmed as the venue for sixth event of the campaign, which runs from May 13 to 14,.

The following Grand Prix at Rio de Janeiro's Olympic Stadium, scheduled for May 19 to 21, also due to be used as a test event for the Paralympic Games.

The series then switches back to Europe where Nottwil in Switzerland will stage a Grand Prix from May 26 to 29, with German capital Berlin scheduled to host the penultimate event of the series from July 17 to 18.

These competitions will take place either side of the IPC Athletics European Championships in Grosseto, scheduled to take place between June 10 and 16.

The 2016 IPC Athletics Grand Prix season then comes to a close at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 23 and 24.

Rio's Olympic Stadium will play host to an IPC Athletics Grand Prix event in May which will be used as a test event for the Paralympic Games — Rio de Janeiro's Olympic Stadium will play host to an IPC Athletics Grand Prix event in May which will be used as a test event for the Paralympic Games ©Getty Images

All of the events on the series will provide National Paralympic Committees with the opportunity to have their athletes classified ahead of Rio 2016 as part of the IPC’s “zero classification” policy.

“With the Paralympic Games fast approaching, next year’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix series is the most important yet with many athletes looking not just for form but also qualification opportunities for Rio 2016,” IPC director of summer sports Ryan Montgomery said.

“In addition to September’s Paralympic Games, we also have two regional championships – one in Asia/Oceania and one in Europe.

“These events, combined with the 10 Grand Prix events, ensure that next year will be the biggest and busiest year yet for the sport.

“These events also present suitable opportunities for athletes to be classified ahead of next September’s Paralympic Games.

“It is important that athletes get the opportunity to compete at the highest level and these events, which once again visit all five continents, will help improve the performances of athletes as they begin their final preparations for Rio 2016.

“We look forward to working with the event organisers to improve standards across the board and, most importantly, provide a strong and structured competition pathway on the road to Rio 2016."

As well as the confirmation of the IPC Athletics Grand Prix schedule, 2016 will also see the introduction of a Abbott World Marathon Majors Series X, where elite male and female wheelchair racers will compete at the six major marathon events over the course of the year, beginning with the Boston Marathon in April.

They will accumulate points depending on their performances at the Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, the Chicago and New York City Marathons, with the overall winner earning $50,000 (£33,000/€47,000).