International Paralympic Committee reveal full programme of VISTA conference

Margo Mountjoy is one of the keynote speakers at the 2015 VISTA Conference ©Getty Images

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have revealed the full programme for the VISTA 2015 conference which is due to attract a record number of attendees between October 7 and 10 in Girona, Spain.

The seventh edition of the sports science conference is based around the theme of “securing the future for young para-athletes” and will see several keynote speakers, academics, specialists and athletes take part.

An Opening Ceremony and panel discussion on “youth and development” are due to get the conference underway on October 7 with Spanish Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales and Professor Yves Vanlandewijck, the chairperson of the IPC Sports Science Committee, set to appear on the panel.

They are set to be joined by Professor Celia Brackenridge, the former director for youth sport and athlete welfare at Brunel University in England, and Mariona Masdemont, the international project manager for the organisation Play and Train.

The first keynote speaker of the conference is set to be International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission Games Group member Margo Mountjoy of Canada, who is due to speak the following day.

Mountjoy, an International Swimming Federation (FINA) Executive Board member, will speak on the topic of “youth athlete development: recommendations from the IOC”.

The following day Jennifer Mactavish, who will be presented with the IPC Paralympic Scientific Award by Sir Philip Craven prior to the conference, will deliver a talk entitled: "how to engage youth in disability sport: reflections of an accidental academic".

IPC President Sir Phillip Craven is set to present Jennifer Mactavish with the IPC Paralympic Scientific Award at the conference — IPC President Sir Philip Craven is set to present Jennifer Mactavish with the IPC Paralympic Scientific Award at the conference ©Getty Images

The final keynote speaker of the conference will be David Sanz Rivas, scientific director of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET), whose speech will cover “career pathways in wheelchair tennis: from grassroots to elite performance”.

In addition to listening to the keynote speakers, attendees will also be given the opportunity to take part in sessions which include oral presentations and poster sessions on a series of different topics, including sports medicine and athlete training.

Sessions will also cover the classification of sports such as badminton and triathlon, as they prepare to make their Paralympic debut at Rio 2016.

The conference, which aims to promote the mission of the IPC and provide a platform for both experts and athletes to meet, will draw to a close on October 10 with a round table discussion on the theme of the conference, involving athletes, international federation representatives and academics.

More information and the full programme of the conference can be found by clicking here.