Ukraine's Ivan Zamiga, 34, winner of the men's singles class one and two at the 2016 European Championships, is now hoping to win the world title at the Provinciaal Vormingscentrum Malle. 

"I want to surpass myself at the World Championships and show our coaches, my partner and the spectators the best that I am capable of at this moment," he said. 

Zamiga was sixth in the combi Latin event at the 2015 World Para Dance Sport Championships in Rome.

He trains at the Berezil club in the capital, Kyiv, at a dance hall he describes as being "soaked with tears, sweat and blood", adding "it is only by being on the verge of your abilities that you get stronger and win".

Zamiga trains with his partner, 2010 world champion Elena Dankevich, under the guidance of three coaches.

He learns wheelchair handling from Irina Kotyrlo, while Svetlana Kryukova adds modern moves to his dance routines, and the national coach, Elena Chizh, assists him with overall composition.

In single freestyle, Mexico's Jesus Yermain Angeles Fernandez will be hoping to repeat his performance from Rome two years ago when he won the men's single freestyle class two world title.

He will face keen competition from Kazakhstan's Yermek Kalymbetov, currently ranked number one.

Ukraine's Olena Chynka will compete in four of the women's events, including the single freestyle class two.

She won a silver medal in Rome in addition to the 2016 European Championship title.

In class one, Belarus' Darya Kulsh will be hoping her success in the single standard can transfer to freestyle, while in men's single freestyle class one, Belgium's Sander Deckx will be hoping for home advantage.

The Rome event saw the introduction of both single and freestyle competitions, with only men's and women's single freestyle class two events being held.

The Championships in Malle, due to finish on Sunday (October 22), will also feature class one.

Illona Slugovyna, from Ukraine, winner of five gold medals at previous World Championships, is one of the favourites to win the women’s singles class 1 title, as she has been training for four to five hours, six days a week in pursuit of this result.

"We made a lot of effort, myself and my coaches," Slugovyna said.

"I am counting on a first place finish. 

"I want to win."

One of the many indirect victims of the Chernobyl disaster 31 years ago, Slugovyna had to undergo an operation on a spine tumour as a young child and lost the freedom of movement in her lower body as a result. 

In 1999, she got an invitation to try out Para dance and has been involved in the sport since, travelling the world for competitions and winning countless medals.

In combi freestyle, class one saw the retirement of reigning world and European champions Helena Kasicka and Peter Vidasic from Slovakia last year, thus opening the floor for a new champion. 

Reigning Asian champions Ho Hei Man and Ma Wah Keung from Hong Kong, and compatriots Yau Sin Ting Holly and Wong Wo Chau, who finished with the bronze medals, must be seen as strong bidders for the podium this time.

Two years ago, the Philippines’ Rhea Marquez and Jun Julius Obero impressed to capture the gold medal in the class two event.

They will be one of the couples to watch for in Malle, but they will have strong rivals in Poland’s Katarzyna Bloch and Marek Zaborowski, who are coming off the European title from last year, a moment that must have given them confidence for a shot at world gold.