Triple Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius and cycling, swimming and wheelchair basketball medallists Jody Cundy, Natalie Jones and Joe Bestwick officially opened the event. Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy has also lent his support to the World Cup.

357 medals will be presented at three world-class venues in Manchester this week, with men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball being held at the Regional Arena from 20-23 May and athletics taking over the venue on Sunday 24 May.

Track cycling is held across two and a half days of competition from 20-22 May at the Manchester Velodrome, whist swimming will be held across two days at the Manchester Aquatics Centre on 24-25 May.

An impressive 174 Paralympic medallists from last year’s Beijing Paralympic games are set to compete in Manchester this week in the first major international test since the games.

Wheelchair basketball is first off the mark today, with China facing the Netherlands in the women’s event at 09:30 British time.

Track Cycling begins later - at 14:00 British time - with the preliminary rounds in the 3km and 4km pursuit for athletes in the LC1-LC4 and CP 3/4 classes.

Click on the link below to visit the BT Paralympic World Cup 2009 web site for all the action and results.