Paralympic athletics
Kenny van Weeghel in his racing chair at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships
Paralympic athletics is a disabled sport practiced by athletes with a physical disability have competed at separate international events since 1952. It is governed by IPC Athletics, and is one of the sports at the Summer Paralympic Games since 1960.[1][2]
Classification
Timothée Adolphe and his sighted guide Cédric Felip
Competiors at elite level competitions, are classified by disability, to arrange athletes with a similar disability in the same event. A classified T12 athlete for example, is a track athlete with a visual impairment.
- F = Field athletes
- T = Track athletes
- 11–13 – Visual impairment. Compete with a sighted guide.
- 20 – Intellectual disability
- 31–38 – Cerebral palsy
- 41–46 – Amputation, and others (including athletes with dwarfism)
- 51–58 – Wheelchair
In wheelchair racing athletes compete in lightweight racing chairs. Most major marathons have wheelchair divisions and the elite racers consistently beat the runners on foot.
See also
References
- ↑ Para- Athletics – History, Athletics Canada
- ↑ About the Sport, IPC Athletics
External links
- Paralympic athletics at IPC web site
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Media related to Paralympic athletics at Wikimedia Commons
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