BT Paralympic World Cup
Venue: Manchester Date: 25-31 May Coverage: Live coverage on BBC Two and BBC Sport website (UK only) on Monday from 1400 BST; Athletics highlights on the BBC Sport website on Wednesday, plus text reports

By Elizabeth Hudson

Olympic hopefuls Oscar Pistorius and Jason Smyth opened the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester with two wins apiece in the athletics events.

Double amputee Pistorius triumphed in the 100m and 400m events in his class.

Northern Ireland's visually impaired sprinter Smyth, who has secured the qualifying standard for the European Championships, won the 100m and 200m.

Britons Danny Greaves, Libby Clegg, Tracey Hinton and Stephen Miller were also among the winners.

But there was disappointment for Paralympic champion Dave Weir who was narrowly beaten by Switzerland's Marcel Hug in the 800m wheelchair race, before finishing well down the field in the 1500m.

Afterwards Weir, who has suffered from glandular fever in the past, underwent blood tests.

Four-time Paralympic gold medallist Pistorius, who is hoping to qualify for the 400m at the able-bodied Commonwealth Games in Delhi before bidding to reach the 2012 Olympics, dominated in the one-lap event in Manchester.

His time of 48.83 seconds was well off his personal best in Paralympic competition of 47.49, but he still finished well clear of Britain's Ian Jones (52.16).

"I could've run a little bit quicker, I ran two seconds quicker three months ago and have been training hard since then," reflected South African Pistorius, who was playing down his chances of achieving his Commonwealth goal.

"Physically I think I'm in the shape to do it but I've got to bring my time down by just under a second for this season, so it's quite a tall order," he added.

Pistorius, known as the 'Blade Runner', had earlier got the better of compatriot Arnu Fourie in the 100m with Jones in third.

Smyth, who won double gold in Beijing in 2008, has been training in Florida since January alongside Olympic silver medallist Tyson Gay and and gold medallists Aleen Bailey and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie.

He has bettered the European Championships' 100m standard of 10.45 three times this season, but could only manage 10.66 in Manchester.

However, he was still too strong for the rest of the field and then repeated the feat in the 200m, winning in 22.07 seconds.

Discus thrower Greaves continued the form which saw him manage a new world best of 57.14m in Loughborough last weekend with 56.22 for a convincing victory.

The 2004 Paralympic champion, who was born with a foot deformity, was delighted to have followed up his performance with another dominant display.

"I'm really chuffed to have gotten close to my personal best again," he said.

"I knew I had a big throw in me today but I'm delighted with how my competition and training has gone and to do it in my first GB appearance since Beijing is great."

Visually impaired sprinter Clegg was in good form, winning her 100m with Hinton taking the 200m while former Paralympic champion Miller won the club event.

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