Para-athletics has been a cornerstone of the Paralympic Games since the first competition in Rome, Italy, in 1960. This sport includes a wide range of track and field events, such as sprints, middle-distance and long-distance races, relays, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus, javelin, and wheelchair racing. It is open to athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual impairments, offering a diverse and inclusive platform for competition.

Athletes race over 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m and 10000m. 4x100m and 4x400m relays, marathons, club throw, discus, high jump, javelin, long jump, shot put and triple jump are also contested.

Para-athletics disciplines, such as discus, javelin, shot put, and wheelchair racing, often necessitate specialized sport equipment. Athletes may also utilize assistive devices like prosthetics, rope tethers, and acoustic aids.

Specifically engineered prosthetics are employed to meet the rigorous demands of competition. While leg prostheses are mandatory in track events, their use in field events remains optional.

For athletes with visual impairments, rope tethers and similar aids serve to connect them to sighted guides during running events. Acoustic devices or a sighted “caller” may also be employed to signal throwing targets or jumping event take-offs.

The World Para Athletics classification system serves two primary functions:

To participate in World Para Athletics competitions, athletes must meet specific eligibility criteria related to their impairment. The Minimum Disability Criteria (MDC) outlined in the World Para Athletics Classification Rules and Regulations define these criteria. There are ten eligible impairment types, including:

• Impaired Muscle Power: Partial or complete paralysis of the limbs or trunk due to conditions like spinal cord injury or polio.

• Impaired Passive Range of Movement: Permanently reduced range of movement in one or more joints due to trauma, illness, or congenital deficiency.

• Limb Deficiency: Total or partial absence of bones or joints, typically from birth or due to trauma or illness.

• Ataxia: Lack of muscle coordination caused by problems in the central nervous system, as seen in conditions like traumatic brain injury.

• Athetosis: Involuntary and continuous movements resulting from fluctuating muscle tone, typical in conditions like cerebral palsy.

• Hypertonia: Abnormal increase in muscle tension affecting movement and balance, often seen in conditions like cerebral palsy.

• Short Stature: Reduced standing height and limb length due to conditions like achondroplasia.

• Leg Length Difference: Discrepancy in leg length due to trauma, illness, or congenital conditions.

• Visual Impairment: Impairment of vision due to structural issues in the eye, optic nerve, or brain.

• Intellectual Impairment: Limited intellectual functions and adaptive behavior diagnosed before age 18.

Athletes are assigned to specific sport classes based on the impact of their impairment on athletic performance. The goal is to ensure fair competition by grouping athletes with similar impairments together. The classification system includes various classes for different impairments, each with its own criteria. Here’s an overview:

Discipline: Running and Jumping (20 classes)

• T11-13: Vision impairment

• T20: Intellectual impairment

• T35-38: Coordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis)

• T40-41: Short stature

• T42-44: Lower limb competing without prosthesis affected by limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power, or impaired passive range of movement

• T45-47: Upper limb/s affected by limb deficiency, impaired muscle power, or impaired passive range of movement

• T61-64: Lower limb/s competing with prosthesis affected by limb deficiency and leg length difference

Discipline: Wheelchair Racing (7 classes)

• T32-34: Coordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis)

• T51-54: Limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power, or impaired passive range of movement