About the sport

Athletics has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1960 and always attracts the largest number of spectators. The sport offers a wide range of competitions and events and is open to male and female athletes in all impairment groups.

Athletes compete according to their functional classification in each event. Some compete in wheelchairs and some with prostheses, while those who are visually impaired receive guidance from a sighted guide.

Para athletics is governed by the IPC and co-ordinated by the World Para Athletics Sports Technical Committee.

In 2016, the sport was renamed from IPC Athletics to Para athletics and the International Federation was renamed to World Para Athletics.

So whether you want to see athletes run 100m in just over 10 seconds, marvel at a high jumper with one leg clearing 2 metres, or a thrower propelling a discuss nearly 50 metres, this is the sport for you.

Competition description

The events on the Paralympic programme include:

Track events: sprint (100m, 200m, 400m); middle distance (800m, 1,500m); long distance (5,000m, 10,000m) and relay races (4x100m, 4x400m)

Road event: marathon

Field events: high jump, long jump, triple jump, discus, shot put, javelin

Combined events: pentathlon

Sports equipment

Many athletics events require specific sports equipment for example, the discus, shot or javelin. In addition athletes may use certain assistive devices as specified in the World Para Athletics rules. This technology continues to advance at a rapid rate.

Wheelchairs are considered to be sports equipment in track and field events. Athletics wheelchairs tend to be very lightweight. The dimensions and features of wheelchairs are clearly specified in the World Para Athletics rules.

Prosthetic devices may be used by amputees. These have been specifically developed to withstand the demands of sports competition. IPC rules require the use of leg prostheses in track events; however, the use of prostheses in field events is optional.

Rope tethers or other devices may be used by runners with a visual impairment to link with their sighted guides. Acoustic devices (or a sighted "caller") may be used to indicate take-off in jumping events, throwing target areas, etc.

History

The first Para athletics competitions was held in 1952 when wheelchair racing waspart of the Stoke Mandeville Games which were organised for World War II veterans. It was one of eight sports included at the first Paralympic Games in 1960 which were held in Rome, Italy.

Over the next 20 years, additional impairment groups were added to Paralympic competition and today the sport is practiced by athletes in over 120 countries making it the most widely practiced Paralympic Sport.

At the London 2012 Games, 1,100 athletes competed in 170 medal events.