The conference is due to take place between October 7 and 10 with the theme of this year's edition on "securing the future of young Para-athletes", with Winckler and So's talks set to centre on the topic of athlete health and performance during the symposium.

Winckler is currently a member of the IPC Athletics Coach Council and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee's Athletics Coordinator, and will utilise his experience in the field to present a talk on interdisciplinary approach in para-athletics and the crossroads between experience and science in evaluation and training monitoring.

"In the world of competitive sport, it has become increasingly clear in recent years that individual success at the elite level is a function of the complex interplay of multiple factors acting in systemic concert," said Winckler.

"Apart from individual talent, and expert coaching, achieving and maintaining an edge over competitors requires a comprehensive support infrastructure to minimise risk and maximise results of the elite athletes and create a scenario to development the talent of youth athletes.

"This symposium will present the current state-of-the-art practice of scientific support services for elite disabled sports, which include sport medicine, sport biomechanics, sport psychology, sport nutrition and strength and conditioning."

Meanwhile So, who is a member of the IPC Sports Science Committee, will talk about the application of bio-psycho-social paradigm on developing high performance Paralympic athletes.

Ciro Winckler of São Paulo Federal University works with athletes like Alan Oliveira in his role as Brazilian Paralympic Committees Athletics Coordinator ©Getty Images



Hundreds of experts and sports specialists from around the world are expected to attend to VISTA 2015 conference, which is designed to provide a platform for the academic world to meet with athletes and professional experts in the field of sport for athletes with an impairment, whilst helping to promote and advance the mission of the IPC.

The conference provides opportunity for the exchange of latest information, expertise and research related to the Paralympic Movement, with October's conference being the seventh staged.

Registration for VISTA 2015 is open at www.vista2015.com and experts who wish to participate in free communication at the conference have until Sunday (February 15) to submit their abstracts for consideration by the VISTA Scientific Committee.

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