Paralympics Athletics 2024: Categories and impairments explained - what do the letters and numbers mean?

At the Paralympics athletes compete against others with similar impairments - with a classification system used to decide who takes part in each event. | Getty Images

First twinned with the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, the Paralympic Games have followed every summer and winter Olympic Games since.

Its history dates back further though, to 1948 when 19 British World War II veterans competed in sports. By 1960 the games attracted 400 athletes from 23 countries, and now it is one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, with 4,520 athletes from 163 countries appearing at the 2020 edition. 

This year, following its hugely successful Olympic Games, Paris will be hosting the event which includes a total of 549 events in 22 different sports over the 10 days of competition - all of while will be broadcast live on Channel 4.

Each sports is broken down into subcategories meaning athletes will compete against those with similar impairments and level of impairment.

But what exactly are the different categories, and what do all the letters and numbers mean?

Here’s everything you need to know about the Paralympics athletics categories.

What impairments do athletes have at the Paralympics?

There are 10 types of impairment - with athletes with each type of impairment competing against others with the same condition to a broadly similar extent. The 10 categories are as follows, with examples of causes given by the World Para Athletics organisation:

Impaired Muscle Power  

Athletes with Impaired Muscle Power have a Health Condition that either reduces or eliminates their ability to voluntarily contract their muscles in order to move or to generate force.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Impaired Muscle Power include spinal cord injury (complete or incomplete, tetra-or paraplegia or paraparesis), muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome and spina bifida. 

Impaired Passive Range of Movement

Athletes with Impaired Passive Range of Movement have a restriction or a lack of passive movement in one or more joints.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Impaired Passive Range of Movement include arthrogryposis and contracture resulting from chronic joint immobilisation or trauma affecting a joint.  

Short Stature

Athletes with Short Stature have a reduced length in the bones of the upper limbs, lower limbs and/or trunk.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Short Stature include achondroplasia, growth hormone dysfunction, and osteogenesis imperfecta.  

Hypertonia

Athletes with Hypertonia have an increase in muscle tension and a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch caused by damage to the central nervous system.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Hypertonia include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and stroke.  

Ataxia

Athletes with Ataxia have uncoordinated movements caused by damage to the central nervous system.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Ataxia include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke and multiple sclerosis.  

Athetosis

Athletes with Athetosis have continual slow involuntary movements.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Athetosis include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and stroke.  

Vision Impairment

Athletes with Vision Impairment have reduced, or no vision caused by damage to the eye structure, optical nerves or optical pathways, or visual cortex of the brain.  

Examples of an Underlying Health Condition that may lead to Vision Impairment include retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy.  

Limb Deficiency 

Athletes with Limb Deficiency have total or partial absence of bones or joints as a consequence of trauma (for example traumatic amputation), illness (for example amputation due to bone cancer) or congenital limb deficiency (for example dysmelia).

Leg Length Difference 

Athletes with Leg Length Difference have a difference in the length of their legs as a result of a disturbance of limb growth, or as a result of trauma. Short Stature Hypertonia  Ataxia  Athetosis Vision Impairment 

Intellectual Impairment 

Athletes with an Intellectual Impairment have a restriction in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour in which affects conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills required for everyday life. This Impairment must be present before the age of 18.  

What do the letters and numbers mean in the Paralympics categories?

Each category of competition at the Paralympics athletes has a letter and a number. The letter is the type of event - a ‘T’ for ‘track and field’ or a ‘T’ for ‘throwing events’. The number after the letter refers to the level of impairment.

What are particular impairment categories in the Paralympic athletics?

These are the track and field categories at the Paris Paralympics.

Running and Jumping

T11-13 (Vision impairment)

T20 (Intellectual impairment)

T35-38 (Co-ordination 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)

Wheelchair racing

T32-34 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis))

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

Frame Running

T71-T72 (athletes with severe co-ordination impairment (hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis))

Standing throws

F11-13 (Vision impairment)

F20 (Intellectual impairment)

F35-38 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis))

F40-41 (Short stature)

F42-44 (Lower limb competing without prosthesis affected by limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

F45-46 (Upper limb/s affected by limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement)

F61-64 (Lower limb/s competing with prosthesis affected by limb deficiency and leg length difference)

Seated throws

F31-34 (Co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis))

F51-57 (Limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired range of movement)

All athletes must complete a Medical Diagnostics Form and produce relevant supporting medical documentation.