Paris 2024 Paralympics: Wheelchair fencers make qualifying bid in Cardiff

Wales hosts 2024 Paralympic hopefuls this weekend in the Cardiff Wheelchair Fencing World Cup.

The event is the final qualifier in Europe for this year's Paris Games.

It is also a rare opportunity for British wheelchair fencers to compete on home ground.

"This tournament is the first senior international World Cup - in wheelchair fencing or standing fencing - run [in Britain] for a decade," said British Fencing chief executive Georgina Usher.

"The World Cups are the target events for any country that's serious about putting fencers on to the Olympic or Paralympic stage.

"It's a flagship event for the sport so it's extremely exciting for us as a governing body to be able to bring something like this into the country and to Cardiff."

Over 180 athletes from 31 countries will participate in the competition from Thursday to Sunday at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens.

"It's huge, it's obviously a qualifier for the Paralympics which means it's always going to be a big event and everyone's going to be trying to bring their A-game," said ParalympicsGB and Wales fencer Gemma Collis.

"To have it in Wales and compete in the UK for the first time since London 2012 at this level is so exciting and it's a huge opportunity that we've all been waiting for."