Para triathlon was one of the new sports introduced at the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games. Paralympic events are held over the ‘sprint’ distance, which is half the length of the Olympic distance for individual competitions. Athletes swim 750m, cycle 20km and run 5km.
Brief overview of the rules
In the seated class, athletes use a handcycle (a bike powered by the arms) for the bike segment and a racing wheelchair for the running segment. Handlers assist them in transition areas (from swim to bike and from bike to run), as these phases are a key aspect of any triathlon event. Vision impaired triathletes are accompanied by a guide throughout the event and use a tandem on the bike segment. In standing classes, athletes can use prosthetic legs or make modifications to their bike, depending on their impairment.
Eligible impairments
Functional impairments (standing or in a wheelchair), vision impairments, blindness.
Classification
Letter: PTWC (= Para Triathlon Wheelchair) / PTS (= Para Triathlon Standing) / PTVI (= Para Triathlon Vision Impaired)
