Today U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, announced that the city of Charlotte, North Carolina has been selected as the site of the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials for cycling, swimming and track and field. For the first time in U.S. Paralympics’ history, the trials will feature three sports being contested concurrently, all within the city of Charlotte through Partners for Parks, which will serve as the local organization committee for the competition. The multi-sport trials will take place June 30-July 2, 2016.
“With top-notch venues, convenient proximity between locations and with its renowned hospitality, we know Charlotte will be an incredible host for the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials,” said Rick Adams, chief of Paralympic Sport and NGB Organizational Development, USOC. “Charlotte presents the perfect opportunity to shine a light on Paralympic sport and to set the stage for some outstanding performances and incredible success for Team USA in advance of Rio. We thank Partners for Parks for its commitment to hosting a great event, and we thank the people of Charlotte for their support of America’s Paralympic athletes.”
The 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials will feature competition in cycling, swimming and track and field at venues around the city of Charlotte, including University City, the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center and the Irwin Belk Complex at Johnson C. Smith University. Family, fans and spectators can bounce from competition to competition, allowing them to take in Paralympic sport at its finest throughout the course of the three days of competition.
Charlotte was selected based on a number of criteria, including its sport venues, local accommodations, accessibility and transportation, among several other factors.
“Partners for Parks Foundation is really excited and feeling blessed to be chosen to host this event in Charlotte,” said Doug Youngblood, president of Partners for Parks and chair of the local organizing committee. “We have received great support from other organizations to manage the different events. Charlotte Flights Track and Field Club, SwimMac Carolina, Bike Line of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department and the support of many others such as Visit Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, City of Charlotte, Johnson C. Smith University, University City Partners and the Metrolina Paralympic Sports Club will make this a great partnership event for our community and region. We are looking forward to supporting, caring for and entertaining these great athletes in their quest to represent the United States at the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016.”
Set to be the largest Paralympic trials in U.S. history, the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials will host more than 400 athletes competing for a chance to advance to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games as a member of Team USA on the cycling, swimming or track and field teams.
Following three days of competition, the event will culminate with a celebration on July 3rd, during which the U.S. team rosters for all three sports will be announced for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The Rio Games are expected to be the largest Paralympic Games to-date; approximately 4,500 athletes with physical impairments from more than 165 countries will compete from September 7-18.
Swimming News is courtesy of the USOC.
Swimming Photo of Brad Snyder is courtesy of Lawrence Curtis/The Factory Agency