Field Athletics

Field athletics has enjoyed a large participation by wheelchair users since the first paralympic games in 1960. Field athletics consists of shot put, javelin, discus, club and pentathlon.
Athletes can participate on a competitive level once they have a physical disability that impairs their lower and/or upper limbs.
Classes F51 - F54 are for athletes who are wheelchair users competing in field events designated by the 'F' for Field.
Instead of wheelchairs, participants use specially designed throwing chairs or frames field athletics events which allow them to use the same throwing equipment as able-bodied athletes. The only different piece ofq equipment is the club throw which is similar to the discus event.

Athletics has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1960 and events are open to male and female athletes in all disability groups. Athletes compete in wheelchairs, others with prostheses and athletes with blindness/visual impairment compete with the guidance of a sighted guide. Athletes compete according to their functional classifications in each event and these events are continually being redefined to include as many athletes as possible.

Athletics is governed by the IPC with co-ordination from the IPC Athletics Sports Manager and Technical Committee.

Field events include: Discus, Shot Put, Javelin.

Combined events: Pentathlon (track and road events, jumping events and throwing events, depending on the athletes' classification).

Classification
In Athletics, athletes from all of the disability categories represented in the IPC compete: Field events have the letter ‘F’ precede the discipline whilst the number that follows refers to their functional classification

Classes 11, 12 and 13 cover the different levels of visual impairment.
Class 20 covers athletes with an intellectual impairment
Classes 32-38 cover athletes with different levels of cerebral palsy - both wheelchair (32 - 34) and ambulant (35 - 38).
Classes 40-46 cover ambulant athletes with different levels of amputations and other impairments, including les Autres (eg. dwarfism).
Classes 51-58 cover wheelchair athletes with different levels of spinal cord injuries and amputations.

Rules
Field event rules obviously differ from discipline to discipline. An extensive list of the rules can be found at the following link; http://ipc-athletics.paralympic.org/Rules/

Field Athletics

Share this sport

Where's your sport?