History of Para-Athletics | Para-Athletics History Information

Para-Athletics

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Governing Body:

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and World Para Athletics

Para-Athletics is an adaptation of athletics for athletes with disabilities including visual, physical and intellectual impairments. The general rules of the game are based on the rules made for able-bodied athletes. Athletes compete according to their disability classification in each event. Some compete in wheelchairs, some with prostheses and the visually impaired athletes receive guidance from the sighted guides.

The first competition of Para-athletics took place in 1952 at the Mandeville Games organized by the World War II veterans. The sport made its debut at the Summer Paralympics in 1960 and always attracted a large number of spectators and the first IPC Athletics World Championships took place in 1994 in Berlin, Germany.

To complete the race in the fastest time possible in sprints, middle/long-distances, relay events and marathon, to jump/leap as far as possible into a sandpit from a takeoff point in long and triple jump, to jump at the greatest height possible over a horizontal bar without knocking it down to the ground in high jump, to throw the primary equipment as far as possible in shot put, discus, javelin and club throw and to score maximum points in each of the five disciplines in pentathlon.

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