Bridgend’s Aled Davies wins the public vote after breaking the discus world record at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Grosseto, Italy.
After polling 51 per cent of the public vote, Great Britain’s Paralympic champion Aled Davies has been named the IPC Athlete of the Month for May for breaking the discus F42 world record.
The 23-year-old threw a huge 48.69m at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Grosseto, Italy, last month as he prepares for the 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea, Great Britain. He has also been named to the Welsh team for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"I’m very grateful to all the people that have voted and supported me," the world champion said. "They're indispensable. I have worked very hard with a great team around me in the winter."
At the time of breaking the 11-year-old world record of South Africa’s Fanie Lombaard, Davies said his aim was to throw beyond 50m this year, a claim he repeated in light of his new accolade.
"I know I can do 50m in the discus and would love to do it in Swansea and go over 15m in the shot-put."
Davies is acting as an ambassador for Swansea 2014, which will see around 600 athletes from 40 countries compete at the Swansea University International Sports Village from 18-23 August.
He will also compete at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Berlin, Germany, from 20-22 June which will be the last major IPC Athletics competition ahead of the Euros.
"Berlin is going to be another fantastic event that IPC Athletics are creating. The Grand Prix is building a high standard of competition throughout the year," Davies said.
"I'm hoping to continue my winning streak there."
In May’s Athlete of the Month vote on paralympic.org, Davies beat returning Belgian wheelchair racer Marieke Vervoort, Canada’s boccia player Marco Dispaltro, Chinese wheelchair tennis player Yui Kamije and Poland’s wheelchair fencer Dariusz Pender.
IPC Athlete of the Month nominations are compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees and International Federations. Fans can vote on paralympic.org.
Information about tickets and media accreditation for Swansea 2014 can be found here.
