Excitement is palpable at Dubai’s Club for People of Determination as the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix opens its doors from February 10 through 13. With 56 nations sending 500 top-tier para athletes, the focus is razor-sharp on minimum qualification standards for pivotal international showdowns later this year.
India arrives with formidable intent, dispatching a 50-athlete team brimming with proven winners. Paris 2024 javelin sensation Sumit Antil (F64) and shot put ace Navdeep (F41) headline, supported by Preeti Pal’s dual Paris medals and Simran’s Paralympic 200m T12 bronze. Their presence signals India’s medal aspirations.
Watch for Belgium’s Maxime Carabin, whose Paris Paralympic triumph and quintuple world titles make him a track standout. Canada’s Austin Smeenk, Paris gold medalist in 800m T34 and bronzer in 100m T34, is primed for another commanding display.
The UAE contingent numbers 65, with track prodigy Mohammad Yousuf Othman – bronze from New Delhi Worlds – at the forefront. Women’s field events feature Rio 2016 star Sara Aljenabi (shot put F33), Noura AlKetebi (F32), and Kobe 2024 victor Mariam AlJeyoudi (F40).
Ahead of competition, Othman declared: ‘Season prep has been top-notch. Home turf motivates me to perform big here and beyond, eyeing Asian Para Games success.’
Organizing chair Thani Juma Beredgad noted: ‘Fazaa’s 2009 inception brought elite standards that endure. After nailing Dubai 2025 Asian Youth Para Games, we’re geared for perfection.’
Fazaa director Majid Al-Osaimi stressed societal impact: ‘Decades of effort have elevated people of determination, aiding integration, excellence, and storytelling that inspires worldwide.’
Over four days, this event promises electric atmospheres, personal bests, and narratives of triumph that echo far beyond the stadium, propelling para athletics into new eras.