Para Track & Field
The rules of Paralympic track & field are almost identical to Olympic track & field allowing for adaptations for athletes with disabilities. Athletes can compete in sprints, mid-distance, long-distance, relay, throwing, and jumping events. Para track & field is open to athletes with physical, vision, and intellectual impairments.
The seven following impairment groups are eligible for Para track & field.
Coordination Impairments
Athletes with a Coordination Impairment have one or more of the following three movement disorders that adversely affects the ability to voluntarily produce a full range of skilled movement fluidly, rapidly, and accurately:
- Hypertonia/Spasticity: an increase in muscle tension that may be velocity-dependent and/or a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch.
- Motor Ataxia: limited precision in direction and velocity of voluntary movement.
- Dyskinesia (Athetosis, Dystonia, Chorea): involuntary movements that interfere with voluntary movements.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions that can lead to coordination impairments include Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Impaired Muscle Power
Athletes with Impaired Muscle Power have a reduced (or no) ability to contract their muscles to generate force that is consistent with an Underlying Health Condition affecting the structure and function of the central or peripheral nervous system or the muscles.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions leading to impaired muscle power include: spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome, and spina bifida.
Impaired Passive Range of Motion
Athletes with Impaired Passive Range of Movement have a reduced ability for a joint to be passively moved that is consistent with an Underlying Health Condition affecting a structure of bones, joints, connective tissue, or soft tissues.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions leading to impaired passive range of motion include: arthrogryposis and contracture resulting from chronic joint immobilization or trauma affecting a joint.
Limb Deficiency and/or Limb Length Difference
Athletes with Limb Deficiency or Limb Length Difference have a total or partial absence of a limb or anatomically irregular limb dimensions that are consistent with an Underlying Health Condition resulting from trauma (traumatic amputation), illness (example: amputation due to bone cancer), or congenital causes affecting the bones and/or joints (example: dysmelia).
This impairment group can be further divided into the following sub-categories:
- Limb deficiency
- Leg length difference and/or
- Arm length difference
Short Stature
Athletes with Short Stature have reduced total body length (including head, trunk, and legs) as a results of congenitally or developmentally reduced length of the bones of the upper and lower limbs (and may also have reduced trunk length).
Athletes will not be considered to have Short Stature if their reduced total body length is the result of Limb Deficiency or Limb Length Difference only.
Examples of an underlying health condition that can lead to Short Stature include achondroplasia, growth hormone dysfunction, and osteogenesis imperfecta.
Vision Impairment
Athletes with Vision Impairment have an Underlying Health Condition affecting the structure or function of the eye, optic nerve, optic chiasm, post chiasma visual pathways, or visual cortex of the brain resulting in reduced or no visual function even when using the best possible refractive or optical correction.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions leading to vision impairments include retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy.
Intellectual Impairment
Athletes with an Intellectual Impairment have an Underlying Health Condition causing restriction in general mental functions required to understand and constructively integrate the various mental functions including all cognitive functions and their development over the life span. This impairment must be present before the age of 18.
For more information on Intellectual Impairments, please visit http://www.athleteswithoutlimits.org/eligibility
Entering The Pathway
Athlete Development Pathway, opens in a new tabThe first step to high-performance in Para track & field is to identify a club and coach in your area to start training with.
Get connected with U.S. Paralympic Track & Field by completing their Prospect Questionnaire and start your journey through their Athlete Development Pathway.
Equipment
At minimum, athletes will need the following equipment to compete in Para track & field:
- Running shoes or spikes
- Adaptive equipment such as a running blade, racing wheelchair, or a running guide and tether (as applicable)
Additional equipment for training purposes can include:
- Shot put, disc, club, javelin, and throwing frame
Para track & field offers national classification at various events throughout the year. See below for how to get classified in Para track & field as well as the different classification groups.
Physical Impairments
Physical Impairment Medical Diagnostics Form, opens in a new tabTo secure a national physical impairment classification appointment an athlete needs to register for a U.S. Para Track & Field meet offering a classification panel. View the Events Offering National Classification.
- Athletes will need to fill out a Physical Impairment Medical Diagnostics Form and email it to classification@usatf.org at least 3 weeks prior to the chosen event start date.
- The athlete's MDF will then be reviewed by Para Track & Field staff and the athlete will be added to the classification schedule if they are eligible.
- Athlete's will be given a classification appointment that takes place 1-2 days before the competition where the athlete will undergo both a physical and technical assessment.
- Based on the results of both assessments, athletes will be given a provisional classification that with either be confirmed or altered during competition.
Vision Impairments
National Vision Impairment MDF, opens in a new tabFor National Classification for visual impairments, classification is completed through the submission and review of paperwork. There is no in-person evaluation at the national level.
- See your Ophthalmologist and have them fill out the Visual Impairment Medical Diagnostics Form.
- Submit this form to classification@usatf.org to request national visual impairment classification.
- Visual impairment classifiers will review the athlete's paperwork and assign the athlete an appropriate class if they meet the minimum impairment criteria defined by World Para Athletics.
- USATF staff will communicate the outcome to the athlete.
Intellectual Impairments
Begin the Classification Process for Intellectual Impairments, opens in a new tabThe U.S. Paralympic Committee has partnered with Athletes Without Limits for all intellectual impairment classifications. Athletes Without Limits determines whether U.S. athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities are eligible for Paralympic competitions. The three main criteria to be eligible for the II-1 sport class of Paralympic competition are:
- IQ of 75 or below (Must be WISC, WAIS, Stanford-Binet or Raven)
- Significant limitations in Adaptive Behavior (Vineland, ABAS, or Other.)
Onset before age 18
Vision Impairment Classes
T/F11-T/F13: Athletes with vision impairments compete in the following classes:
- T/F11: Athletes have very poor to no vision and must compete with blackout glasses to ensure fairness. Athletes utilize a guide runner.
- T/F12: Athletes in this class have less impaired vision than the T/F11 but still have significant vision impairment, and have the option to utilize a guide runner.
- T/F13: Athletes in this class have the least severe vision impairments and are not allowed to utilize a guide runner.
Intellectual Impairment Classes
T/F20: Athletes in the T/F20 class have an intellectual impairment which can lead to various difficulties such as pattern recognition, sequencing, memory, or other difficulties that can impact the athlete's sport performance.
- Male and female T20/F20 athletes are eligible for the 400m, 1500m, long jump, and shotput events.
Seated Classes
F31/32 - T/F33/34 and T/F51 - T/F57: Athletes in these classes compete in a wheelchair or seated position as a result of impairments in the trunk and lower half of the body such as coordination impairments, spinal cord injuries, and others.
- F31/32 - T/F33/34: Athletes experience varying degrees of movement and coordination impairments and compete in a seated position.
- T/F51-54 - F55-57: Athletes compete in wheelchair track races and throw from a seated position. Examples of Underlying Health Conditions of athletes in these classes include spinal cord injuries.
Ambulatory Classes - Coordination/Movement Impairments
T/F35 - T/F38: Athletes in these classes often experience coordination and movement impairments and they compete in ambulatory competitions.
- T/F35 - T/F36: Athletes experience low to moderate movement, balance, and coordination impairments in a combination of upper and lower limbs and/or trunk.
- T/F37 - T/F38: Athletes experience more mild movement, balance, and coordination impairments in multiple limbs and/or in only one side of the body.
- T72: Athletes experience moderate movement, balance, and coordination impairments and require the use of a 3-wheeled running frame during competition.
Ambulatory Classes - Movement, Limb Length Difference, and Limb Deficiency
F40/41, T/F42 - T/F47: Athletes in these classes experience limb length differences and/or deficiencies in the limbs including impairments such as short stature, amputations, impaired muscle power, impaired range of movement, and other impairments.
- F/40/F41: Athletes with short stature.
- T/F42 - T/F44: Athletes with mild to moderate movement impairments in lower body ranging from impairments below the calf in one leg, to full leg movement impairments in both legs.
- T/F 45 - T/F47: Athletes with mild to moderate upper body impairments including amputations of the arm, coordination and movement impairments in the arms, and others.
Ambulatory Classes - Lower Limb Prosthetic Classes
T/F61 - T/F64: Athletes in these classes compete with an amputation of one or both of their legs and utilize prosthetics to compete as an ambulatory athlete.
- T/F61 - T/F62: Athletes with above knee or below knee amputations in both of their legs.
- T/F63 - T/F64: Athletes with an above knee or below knee amputation in one leg.
Not every event at the LA 2028 Paralympics is open to every class. View the full list of Para Athletics Events by Class for the 2028 Paralympics.
USA Track & Field Club Locator
USA Track & Field Club Locator, opens in a new tabFind a USA Track & Field club near you to begin your journey!
Pathway Progression
2026 Standards, opens in a new tabContinue training and competing to meet the 2026 Para track & field standards and progress towards national team selection.
Move United Competitions
Move United Competitions, opens in a new tabMove United sanctioned competitions are open to all skill and age ranges and are a great avenue to begin competing in Para track & field.