Some of the world's most recognisable Paralympic stars, including South Africa's four-time Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius (pictured above), will be in attendance for the event, which will feature athletics, wheelchair basketball, seven-a-side football and boccia.

In addition to Pistorius, British wheelchair racing stars such as David Weir (pictured below) and Hannah Cockroft will be in action as they look to finalise their preparations for London 2012, where both will be strong gold medal contenders at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.


"The BT Paralympic World Cup has always been a fantastic event, but just seeing who's involved this time around, it's clear this is going to be one to remember," Coe said.

"The whole nation is gearing up for one of the most memorable sporting summers in history and this is a fantastic taster for what is sure to be a special time for Paralympic sport in this country.

"For the competing athletes, the event is a fantastic opportunity to test themselves against truly world-class opposition, many of whom they'll be competing against for podium places this summer.

"For those watching, it'll be a fantastic occasion and a chance to see to plenty of stars of the present and future.

"Many present may never have watched Paralympic sport live and I'm sure that all those there, and those who watch by other means, will be in awe with the skill, talent and determination on show.

"With the London Paralympic Games being 100 days away, every minute is of paramount importance to the athletes, so I expect there will be some fantastic performances in Manchester."

Meanwhile, Great Britain's boccia international match will now be against the Czech Republic following the withdrawal of the Brazilian pair who were scheduled to take part.

But Duncan Tunbridge, the GB Boccia operations manager, feels that the Czech Republic will still provide a competitive match after their medal winning performance at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.


"As Paralympic Bronze medallists from 2008, the Czech Republic will provide a stern test for the BC4 pair and will provide them with invaluable competitive experience in front of a home crowd ahead of London 2012," he said.

"Following the success of the other classifications at the test event, this is an opportunity for the BC4's to demonstrate that they too are firmly on track for success in the summer."

The BT Paralympic World Cup is the largest annual international multisport competition in elite disability sport and Manchester will be hosting it for the eighth consecutive year.

The competition will be broadcast by London 2012 Paralympic host broadcaster Channel 4, while it is sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).

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