Paralympic event codes - explain it please!

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

I know that T means Track, and that the number means the degree of disability. Does that mean, though, that there are lots and lots of the same event? ie if T45 athletes can only compete against each other does that mean there are, for example 45 100m races?

Am I just not getting it?

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

Look at LEXI

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

I did! Hence the .

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

Just realised my OP isn't hugely clear. Of course I don't mean are there 45 races with the same degree of disability, I mean are there, for example, 45 100m races in total.

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

What don't you understand? It looks pretty simple to me.

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

Oh dear, wondering whether I maybe shouldn't have asked this. I don't really know how else to phrase it.

Does the 100m get run, for example, 45 times, if there are 45 different classifications? What happens if only 2 athletes, say, with a T24 disability enter?

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

No, there are not 45 different 100m events.

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

OK. Thanks for your help.

[nancy75]

Op there aren't that many categories, for examp,e visual impairment is 11,12 or 13. 40-46 is for an impairment that affects the arms or legs, it doesn't go from 1-50.

[nancy75]

Have a look at the Paralympics website/ classifications, that explains it well

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

That makes more sense nancy, thanks. The LEXI stuff that I was looking at didn't explain that not all events have classifications beginning at 1.

[bigwombat]

//www.wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_the_codes_in_the_Paralympics_mean seems to be quite helpful.

Sorry can't get link to work properly.

[bigwombat]

Ok, it seems to have worked after all.

[topbannana]

I just found it in our paralympic programme as we were wondering :) It says,
"Athletes are allocated a 2 digit number. The first digit indicates the nature of their impairment, the second its impact on the athleates event specific performance. The lower the number, the greater the impact on their ability to compete. For example, a runner competing in class 11 will have little or no sight and will use a guide runner, while a runner in class 13 will have limited sight and cannot use a guide runner"

11-13: Visual impairment
20: Intellectual impairment
31-38: Cerebal Palsy athletes (31-34 use a wheelchair)
40-46: Athletes with an impairment that affects their arms or legs, including amputees
51-58: Wheelchair racers or field athletes who throw whilst seated

Hope this helps. Everytime a new event starts, DH and I pick up the book to decipher what the code actually means. I can't believe we never knew before

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

Thanks everyone who has tried to assist in a helpful fashion!

Yes, LEXI is helpful in explaining what the numbers mean, but it doesn't explain that only certain events use certain ranges of numbers. At least if it did, I couldn't find it!

I'm still wondering whether this means there must be 7 races for athletes with limb impairment, as presumably it's not fair for a T41 athlete to race against a T46.

[DontCallMeBaby]

If you look here: www.london2012.com/paralympics/athletics/schedule-and-results/index.html you can see the actual events scheduled - there are 15 100m events, for instance, but only T42, T44 and T46 for limb impairments, so definitely some missing categories. There's definitely movement between categories - Oscar Pistorious races outside his, and Richard Whitehead won the 200m T42 despite actually being T43, if I have my classifications right.

[topbannana]

Ah condoleeza I see what you mean.
There will be seperate races for each class, though some events do combine classes. Also if a class is not full then athletes can be moved up and down to accommodate this.

[TheDoctrineOfEnnis]

Thanks from me too, the LEXI site I found seemed to be red yellow green rather than specific codes so the subsequent posts have been really helpful.

[boringnamechange]

It might seem simple to you know, but I was unsure of it too like the op.

Glad I looked at this thread as I now understand it more. Thanks the the posters who helped.

[ItsaTIARA]

They have combined classes for some events by allocating "points" for competitors in different ability classes, where there aren't enough competitors in specific classes. It's not ideal; a Team GB long jumper broke the world record but only got silver because an athlete who jumped almost a meter less had a more severe disability. And the discus marking was so complex that they messed it up completely and ended up awarding 5 medals.

[ariadneoliver]

Here is the channel 4 decoder, pick a sport and then find the code

lexi.channel4.com/index.html

[cardibach]

Love that link, ariadne! Have been looking for something like that. I've sorted the Track classifications, but that was brilliant for the rest.

[ariadneoliver]

Thanks what I have done is get the page open on my iphone keep it open and look it up while I watch it makes a handy and convenient guide.

[topbannana]

Ha, DH and I are getting quite adept now and when it says "and coming up next is the mens T35 final" we go "ooh, ooh, 35. Thats, er, erm, visually impaired? No, its cerebal palsy. Is it, yes it is, are they the ones in the wheelchair, no no its not!"
We're getting quite good now and when we get it right we do a little high five celebration :o
On a related note, we don't drink in the week so have been blaming it on the alcohol, but we have been in floods of tears watching the amazing and inspirational athletes featured over the weekend. We thought we were bad enough in the Olympics when the mere sound of the opening bars of "God save our queen" reduced us to snivelling wrecks but the Paralympics has rendered us completely useless :o

[ItsaTIARA]

I was in bits when Welsh throwing bloke got his medal - he was so lovely. I must remember not to wear mascara when I go to the athletics on Thursday - it would get very messy.