Para-athletics

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Logo of World Para Athletics World Para Athletics logo.svg
Logo of World Para Athletics
Kenny van Weeghel in his racing chair at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships Kenny van Weeghel 2006 World Championship.jpg
Kenny van Weeghel in his racing chair at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships
Annette Roozen competing in the long jump with her prosthetic leg. AnnetteLongJump.jpg
Annette Roozen competing in the long jump with her prosthetic leg.
Athletes with an intellectual disability after racing at the 2000 Summer Paralympics 141100 - Athletics track Patricia Flavel finish line - 3b - 2000 Sydney race photo.jpg
Athletes with an intellectual disability after racing at the 2000 Summer Paralympics

Para-athletics is the sport of athletics practiced by people with a disability as a parasport. The athletics events within the parasport are mostly the same as those available to able-bodied people, with two major exceptions in wheelchair racing and the club throw, which are specific to the division. Certain able-bodied events are rarely contested as para-athletic events outside deaf sport; pole vault, triple jump, hammer (of which the club throw is sometimes considered the para-athletic equivalent) and the three hurdling events. The sport is known by various names, including disability athletics, disabled track and field and Paralympic athletics. Top-level competitors may be called elite athletes with disability. [1]

Contents

Governance

Competitors are typically organised into three broad categories: deaf sports, athletes with a physical disability, and athletes with an intellectual disability. Deaf athletes typically compete among themselves at events such as the Deaflympics, or in able-bodied events (such as British hammer thrower Charlotte Payne) while athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities are usually assessed and given a para-athletics classification, which groups together athletes with similar ability levels. These classifications are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and comprise a single letter and a number: T for Track or F for Field, then a number defining the level of ability. In competition, events may take place between athletes of identical class if numbers are sufficient, otherwise a range of similar classes may compete in the same event. [2] The Raza point score system can be used in field events to allow athletes of different abilities to directly compete.

International governance operates outside of the sport's able-bodied governing body World Athletics (until 2019: IAAF) and instead is divided among those categories, with deaf athletics overseen by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (CISS), [3] para-athletics for the physical disabled principally governed by the World Para Athletics subcommittee of the IPC, [4] and para-athletics for the intellectually disabled through the International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability (INAS). [5] There are also condition-specific organisations, such as the International Dwarf Sports Federation and International Athletics Association for Persons with Down Syndrome. [6] [7] Rules for the sport are adapted from those set forth by the World Athletics, with the majority of rules for para-athletics being the same as those for able-bodied competitions, with exceptions that account for competitors' abilities, such as a visual signal instead of a starting pistol in races for the deaf. [8]

Para-athletics has been one of the sports at the Paralympic Games since 1960, [9] [10] though deaf athletes and most athletes with an intellectual disability compete separately at the Deaflympics and Special Olympics World Games, respectively. The three major sport-specific world championships for para-athletics are the World Para Athletics Championships, the World Deaf Athletics Championships and the INAS World Athletics Championships. Other major para-athletics competitions are hosted within the IWAS World Games and the INAS Global Games. [11]

Nomenclature

The name of the sport is ultimately derived from the Paralympic movement, the Paralympic Games and the name of the international Paralympic Committee. 'Paralympic' was originally a portmanteau of Olympic and paraplegic, reflecting the roots of the movement among spinal injury patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital under Sir Ludwig Guttmann, but as the Paralympic Games gained popularity and prestige, and importantly, expanded to other non-spinal classes such as cerebral palsy, vision impairment and running with prosthetics, the reasoning behind the para part of the name was changed to emphasise that the Games and the Movement were parallel (and thus equal) to the Olympics.

As a result 'para-' came to be recognised as a standard prefix to denote all disability sports, and as organisations were formed by the International Paralympic Committee to organise and regulate the different disability sports, a practice emerged, particularly in sports with multiple disability classifications, of describing the sports with the prefix para-, including in the names of the organisations formed by the IPC to run them e.g. World Para-Swimming, or the UCI-recognised discipline of para-cycling. The IPC Athletics Committee thus changed its name to World Para-Athletics, with Para-athletics itself a portmanteau of para and athletics. The main stand-alone championships of the sport are now referred to as the World Para-Athletics Championships - itself mirroring the change in the able-bodied events when the IAAF change its branding to World Athletics.

Classification

Timothee Adolphe and his sighted guide Cedric Felip Meeting d'Athletisme Paralympique de Paris - Timothee Adolphe & Cedric Felip 07.jpg
Timothée Adolphe and his sighted guide Cédric Felip

Competitors 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.

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.

Events

Paralympic athletes compete in the following events. Note that not all events may feature at a particular tournament, and not all events may be open to all classifications:

TrackRoadField Combined events
Sprints Middle-distance Long-distance Relays JumpsThrows
100 m
200 m
400 m 		800 m
1500 m 		5000 m
10,000 m 		4 × 100 m relay
4 × 400 m relay 		Marathon Long jump
Triple jump
High jump 		Shot put
Discus throw
Javelin throw
Club throw 		Pentathlon

Grand Prix

In 2017 rename from IPC Athletics Grand Prix to World Para Athletics Grand Prix. Its purpose is the development of this sport as well as the classification and obtaining the Paralympic quota. An annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising six to nine of the best athletics meetings. [12]

Since 2013 an annual Grand Prix season.

Since 2016 wheelchair racers as part of the World Marathon Majors series.

  1. 2013 IPC Athletics Grand Prix - 7 Meetings
  2. World Para Athletics - Grand Prix 2014 - 9 Meetings
  3. 2015 IPC Athletics Grand Prix - 9+1 Meetings
  4. IPC Athletics 2016 Grand Prix - 9+1 Meetings
  5. 2017 World Para Athletics Grand Prix - 9 Meetings
  6. 2018 World Para Athletics Grand Prix - 9 Meetings
  7. World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2019 - 9 Meetings
  8. WORLD PARA ATHLETICS GRAND PRIX 2020 - 9 Meetings (all of events have been cancelled) World Para Athletics 2020 season: Status update
  9. WORLD PARA ATHLETICS GRAND PRIX 2021 - 6 Meetings
  10. WORLD PARA ATHLETICS GRAND PRIX 2022 - 7 Meetings
  11. WORLD PARA ATHLETICS GRAND PRIX 2023 - 6 Meetings

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parasports</span> Sports adapted for players with a disability

Parasports are sports played by people with a disability, including physical and intellectual disabilities. Some parasports are forms of adapted physical activities from existing non-disabled sports, while others have been specifically created for persons with a disability and do not have a non-disabled equivalent. Disability exists in four categories: physical, mental, permanent and temporary. At a competitive level, disability sport classifications are applied to allow people of varying abilities to face similar opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paralympic Games</span> Major international sport event for people with disabilities

The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the Games of the Paralympiad, is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of disabilities. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, have been held shortly after the corresponding Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Paralympic Committee</span> Global governing body for the Paralympic Movement

The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paralympic sports</span> Type of sport with events contested at the Paralympic Games

The Paralympic sports comprise all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. As of 2020, the Summer Paralympics included 22 sports and 539 medal events, and the Winter Paralympics include 5 sports and disciplines and about 80 events. The number and kinds of events may change from one Paralympic Games to another.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter Paralympic Games</span> International multi-sport event for disabled athletes

The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete in snow and ice sports. The event includes athletes with mobility impairments, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter Olympic Games and hosted in the same city. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) oversees the Games. Medals are awarded in each event: with gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third, following the tradition that the Olympic Games began in 1904.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paralympic Committee of the Philippines</span> National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines

The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC), formerly known as Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled—National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines, is the national sports association for physically impaired athletes, tasked to spearhead developing sport competency for Filipino persons with disabilities. It is the Philippine National Paralympic Committee which is duly recognized by the International Paralympic Committee

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Virtus Sports Federation</span>

Virtus Sport is a federation which was established in 1986 by professionals in the Netherlands who were involved in sport and wanted to promote the participation of athletes with mental handicap in elite sports.

T36 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics. It includes people who have coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis. It includes people with cerebral palsy. T36 is used by the International Paralympic Committee. This classification competes at the Paralympic Games.

Disability sports classification is a system that allows for fair competition between people with different types of disabilities.

Para-athletics classification is a system to determine which athletes with disabilities may compete against each other in para-athletics events. Classification is intended to group together athletes with similar levels of physical ability to allow fair competition. Classification was created and is managed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which is regularly published via its IPC Athletics Classification Handbook. People with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities are eligible to compete in this sport at the Summer Paralympics. The classification for this sport was created during the 1940s and for much of its early history was a medical condition based classification system. The classification system has subsequently become a functional mobility based one, and is moving towards an evidence-based classification system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Para-Nordic skiing classification</span>

Para-Nordic skiing classification is the classification system for para-Nordic skiing which includes the biathlon and cross-country events. The classifications for Para-Nordic skiing mirrors the classifications for Para-Alpine skiing with some exceptions. A functional mobility and medical classification is in use, with skiers being divided into three groups: standing skiers, sit skiers and visually impaired skiers. International classification is governed by International Paralympic Committee, Nordic Skiing (IPC-NS). Other classification is handled by national bodies. Before the IPC-NS took over classification, a number of organizations handled classification based on the type of disability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Para-archery classification</span>

Para-archery classification is the classification system for para-archery used to create a level playing field for archers with a different range of disabilities. Governance in the sport is through the International Archery Federation. Early classification systems for the sport were created during the 1940s and based on medical classification. This has subsequently changed to a functional mobility classification with the exception of blind archery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Para Athletics European Championships</span> Event organized by World Para Athletics

The World Para Athletics European Championships, known prior to 2018 as the IPC Athletics European Championships is an event organized by World Para Athletics, the international athletics federation established under the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in 2016. Athletes with a physical disability compete, and there is also a specific category for athletes with an intellectual disability. Organised biennially, the original Games ran from 2003 to 2005 as an Open Championship but the event was frozen in 2005, but returned in 2012 in Stadskanaal, Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ella Pardy</span> Australian Paralympic athlete

Ella Azura Pardy is an Australian Paralympic athlete who competes in the T38 100m, 200m and long jump. She represented Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in long jump and the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in athletics where she won a bronze medal and the 2020 Summer Paralympics. She has been selected for the 2024 Paris Paralympics - her third Games.

Joanna Butterfield, is a British parasport athlete who competes in the F51 club and discus throw. In 2014 Butterfield set a European record in the club while winning the event at the 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships. The following year she added the World title at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Qatar, securing a place at the 2016 Paralympic Games. She went on to set a World record in the Club throw event while winning Gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. In 2023 She switched sport to Wheelchair Curling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgina Hermitage</span> British Paralympic athlete

Georgina Hermitage, is a British former parasport athlete competing in T37 sprint events. In 2015, she qualified for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, selected for the T37 100m and 200m. She took the gold in the 400m sprint, setting a new world record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Arab Emirates at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The United Arab Emirates sent athletes to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.

Intellectual disability sport classification is a classification system used for disability sport that allows people with intellectual disabilities to fairly compete with and against other people with intellectual disabilities. Separate classification systems exist for the elite athlete with a disability side affiliated with the Paralympic movement and Virtus, and the sports for all model affiliated with Special Olympics. People with intellectual disabilities have issues with conceptual skills, social skills and practical skills. They have IQs of 75 points or lower, limitations in adaptive behaviour and their disability manifested and was documented prior to turning 18 years of age.

Para-athletics in Cameroon is one of several sports that people with disabilities participate in, in the country. Competitors in the sport have represented their country in international competitions. Development of sport has also taken place locally as a result of international support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 World Para Athletics European Championships</span> Track and field competition

The 2018 World Para Athletics European Championships was a track and field competition for athletes with a disability open to International Paralympic Committee (IPC) affiliated countries within Europe, plus Azerbaijan and Israel. It was held in Berlin, Germany and took place between 20 and 26 August 2018 at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark. 596 athletes from 35 countries competed during the championships.

References

  1. ↑ Rees, L; Robinson, P; Shields, N (2019). "Media portrayal of elite athletes with disability - a systematic review". Disabil Rehabil. 41 (4): 374–381. doi:10.1080/09638288.2017.1397775. PMID   29124974. S2CID   41665733.
  2. ↑ "The History of Parasport". www.insidethegames.biz. 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  3. ↑ "Athletics". www.ciss.org. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  4. ↑ "World Para Athletics News & Events". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  5. ↑ Athletics. INAS. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  6. ↑ "IWAS welcomes new International Dwarf Sports Federation events to World Games". www.insidethegames.biz. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  7. ↑ "Mission - iaads2018". www.iaads.info. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  8. ↑ Deaf Friendly Athletics Resource. England Athletics. Archived 2019-12-14 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  9. ↑ Para- Athletics – History Archived 2012-05-31 at the Wayback Machine , Athletics Canada
  10. ↑ About the Sport Archived 2012-06-25 at the Wayback Machine , IPC Athletics
  11. ↑ INAS Global Games. INAS. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
  12. ↑ "Para Athletics (formerly IPC Athletics) - About the Sport". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
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