S6 (classification)

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S6, SB5, SM6 are disability swimming classifications used for categorising swimmers based on their level of disability. These classes "...includes swimmers with short stature, amputations of both arms or moderate coordination problems on one side of their body."[1]

History

The classification was created by the International Paralympic Committee and has roots in a 2003 attempt to address "the overall objective to support and co-ordinate the ongoing development of accurate, reliable, consistent and credible sport focused classification systems and their implementation."[2] In 1997, Against the odds : New Zealand Paralympians said this classification was graded along a gradient, with S1 being the most disabled and S10 being the least disabled.[3]

Sport

This classification is for swimming.[4] In the classification title, S represents Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly strokes. SB means breaststroke. SM means individual medley.[4] Jane Buckley, writing for the Sporting Wheelies, describes the swimmers in this classification as having: "full use of their arms and hands, some trunk control but no useful leg muscles; Swimmers with coordination problems (usually these athletes walk); Swimmers with major limb loss of 2 limbs; Little People / Dwarfs (O 130cm females & O 137cm males)."[4] Swimming classifications are on a gradient, with one being the most severely physically impaired to ten having the least amount of physical disability.[5]

Getting classified

In Australia, to be classified in this category, athletes contact the Australian Paralympic Committee or their state swimming governing body.[6] In the United States, classification is handled by the United States Paralympic Committee on a national level. The classification test has three components: "a bench test, a water test, observation during competition."[7] American swimmers are assesed by four people: a medical classified, two general classified and a technical classifier.[7]

Competitions

For this classification, organisers of the Paralympic Games have the option of including the following events on the Paralympic programme: 50m and 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 100m Breaststroke and 200m Individual Medley events.[8]

Records

In the S6 50 m Freestyle Long Course, the men's world record is held by China's Xu Qing with a time of 00:29.78 and the women's world record is held by the Netherlands' Mirjam de Koning-Peper with a time of 00:34.94.[9] In the S6 100 m Freestyle Long Course, the men's world record is held by Sweden's Anders Olsson and the women's world record is held by Great Britain's Eleanor Simmonds.[10]

Paralympic records

The table below records the fastest ever Paralympic record in this class for specific events.

Event Class Time Name Nation Date Games Ref
50 m freestyle S6  29.78  WR
 Xu , Qing Qing Xu China 15 September 2008 2008 Beijing [11]
100 m freestyle S6  1:05.95  WR
 Olsson , Anders Anders Olsson Sweden 8 September 2008 2008 Beijing [12]
400 m freestyle S6  4:48.31  Olsson , Anders Anders Olsson Sweden 14 September 2008 2008 Beijing [13]
50 m butterfly S6  30.79  WR
 Xu , Qing Qing Xu China 13 September 2008 2008 Beijing [14]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by IPC; WR – World record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg

Competitors

Swimmers who have competed in this classification include Olena Akopyan[15] and Anastasia Diodorova[15] and Maria Goetze[15] who all won medals in their class at the 2008 Paralympics.[15]

American swimmers who have been classified by the United States Paralympic Committee as being in this class include Arden Adams, Anna Amend, Victoria Arlen and Abby Abby.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Layman’s Guide to Paralympic Classification". http://www.paralympic.org. p. 20. Retrieved September 06, 2012. 
  2. ↑ "Paralympic Classification Today". International Paralympic Committee. 22 April 2010. p. 3. 
  3. ↑ Gray, Alison (1997). Against the odds : New Zealand Paralympians. Auckland, NZ: Hodder Moa Beckett. p. 18. ISBN 1869585666. OCLC 154294284. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Buckley, Jane (2011). "Understanding Classification: A Guide to the Classification Systems used in Paralympic Sports". Retrieved 12 November 2011. 
  5. ↑ Shackell, James (24 July 2012). "Paralympic dreams: Croydon Hills teen a hotshot in pool". Maroondah Weekly. Retrieved 1 August 2012. 
  6. ↑ "Classification Information Sheet". Australian Paralympic Committee. 8 March 2011. p. 3. Retrieved 17 November 2011. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "U.S. Paralympics National Classification Policies & Procedures SWIMMING". United States Paralympic Committee. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011. 
  8. ↑ "Swimming Classification". The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2011. 
  9. ↑ "IPC Swimming World Records Long Course". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 November 2011. 
  10. ↑ "IPC Swimming World Records Long Course". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 November 2011. 
  11. ↑ "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games - Men's 50m freestyle - S6: Results Final" (PDF). Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008. 
  12. ↑ "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games - Men's 100m freestyle - S6: Results Final" (PDF). BOCOG. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2008. 
  13. ↑ "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games - Men's 200m freestyle - S6: Results Final" (PDF). BOCOG. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008. 
  14. ↑ "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games - Men's 50m butterfly - S6: Results Final" (PDF). BOCOG. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2012. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 November 2011. 
  16. ↑ "USA NATIONAL CLASSIFICATION DATABASE". United States Paralympic Committee. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011. 
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