By Duncan Mackay

Yokohama 2012 ParatriathlonApril 1 - The Yokohama Paratriathlon, which is due to take place on May 11 and 12, has been added to the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Paratriathlon series, it has been announced.


Tokyo 2020 hope that the event will help boost their bid to host the Olympics and Paralympics by helping it promote sport for all, regardless of age, gender and disability.

The season is due to climax at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in London on September 13 on the same course that hosted the Olympic triathlon competiton won by Britain's Alistair Brownlee and Switzerland's Nicola Spirig.

ITU Paratriathlon events are also due to be held in San Diego on April 20 and Edmonton in Canada on June 22 and it is hoped that it will showcase the sport ahead of its debut on the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016.

A total of 16 athletes competed in the Paratriathlon race in Yokohama last year, including London 2012 long jumper Mami Sato.

Mami Sato Yokohama Paratriathlon 2012Mami Sato, who represented Japan in the long jump at London 2012, is also one of the country's top Paratriathletes and will be among the entries in Yokohama

"The addition of the Yokohama event is absolutely a big momentum to further promote the sport of Paratriathlon in this region and confirm how the sport with disability is rapidly evolving in Japan," said Masa Takaya, the acting communications director of Tokyo 2020.

"Paratriathlon is new, exciting and dynamic domain in the sport, and we are pleased to see that Japan's effort is a part of the development.

"Tokyo 2020 is committed to organising both Olympic and Paralympic Games as one seven-week celebration.

"The Games of delivery, celebration and innovation will certainly become a social catalyst to raise global awareness of the sport with disability, inspiring youth of the world."

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