Paralympic Athletics: Then and now

The first organised athletics competitions for Wheelchair athletes took place at the Stoke Mandeville International Games in 1952.

Since then, the sport has developed rapidly to include a wide range of ability groups.

Every year brings giant leaps forward in performance and participation levels, with crowds of thousands now drawn to witness feats that once seemed unimaginable.

How to play – and win

Athletics features more events and competitors than any other sport in the Paralympic programme.

Speed, strength, power and stamina are all on show in the Olympic Stadium, as athletes attempt to break records on the Track and in the Field.

Track races are held over a variety of Olympic distances (with the majority being over the shorter distances).

Field comprises Shot Put, Discus, Javelin, Club Throwing, Pentathlon, Long Jump, High Jump and Triple Jump events.

Some athletes compete in wheelchairs, others with prostheses, and a number of the visually impaired athletes compete with the guidance of a sighted companion.

There is also a range of high quality and very competitive Wheelchair Racing events covering distances from 100m right the way through to the Marathon.

Athletics at the Paralympic Games

Athletics has been part of the Paralympic Games since Rome in 1960.

It has produced some of the most iconic images in the history of the Paralympic movement, with legendary figures such as Louise Sauvage, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Oscar Pistorius making their name on the Track and Field.

The sport traditionally attracts the highest number of spectators at the Games.

Facts about Paralympic Athletics

• Since 2005, Great Britain has hosted the annual Paralympic World Cup Athletics meeting at the City of Manchester Stadium.
• At Sydney 2000, US Track athlete Marla Runyan, a 5-time Paralympic champion, became the first visually impaired athlete to compete at the Olympic Games, placing 8th in the 1500m final.
• ‘Hoopla’ - based on the playground game, where rings are thrown onto a target pole - was an Athletics event at the original Stoke Mandeville International Games.

Get involved

Wannabe athletes with a disability will find plenty of help online (see 'related websites')