5 Track and Field Sporting Events for the Disabled

Sporting activities have several benefits. According to the Council of Europe’s European Sports Charter, sports help improve physical fitness, mental acuity, form social relationships and nurture healthy competition.

Let’s offer the disabled these benefits by enabling them to take part in sporting activities. While able-bodied athletes have a variety of track and field events to choose from, the disabled have fewer choices. This is because their bodies may not accommodate the physical strain in many sporting activities.

Good news is that there are 5 disabled friendly field and track events. They include:

1. Club Throw

In this sport, a participant throws a wooden club as far as they can. Both women and men can take part. The athlete throws the club while seated on a rigid frame.

The athletes do this within a throwing area which measures 7–8.2 feet in diameter. The participant who throws the club the farthest is the winner.

2. Racerunning
In Racerunning, the disabled athletes race using a tricycle (running bike). Children of different ages, women and men take part this sport. The tricycle has a saddle and body support. The athletes lean on this support as they move forward while propelling themselves with their legs.

The sport is open to any disabled athlete who can run using the bike. The races can be as short, medium and long. Short races are 100m, 200m and 400m. Medium races are 800m and 1500m while long races are 5k, 10k, half and full marathon.

3. Softball Throw

Here, the athlete throws a standardized softball as far as they can. The disabled of all ages can take part in this sport. Before throwing the ball, the athletes may run but must not cross the line before the thrown ball touches down, just as in javelin throw.

Just like in javelin throw, an athlete may throw the ball up to six times. The athlete who throws the ball farthest and most accurately is the winner.

4. Ice Sledge Racing

This is a winter sport where contestants skate using a light sledge and propel themselves using two hand-held poles.

Both men and women with or without disabilities can take part in this sport. However, it is specifically for athletes with disabilities in their legs.

5. Wheelchair Racing

In wheelchair racing, disabled athletes race using a wheelchair. In this sport, we group athletes based on the level of their disability. The classes of disability are T55-T58, T51-T54 and T32-T38.

T55-T58 is for amputees and those with spinal cord injuries, T51-T54 is for those who compete in field events and T32-T38 is for athletes with cerebral palsy. Each category of athletes takes part in their own class. The races are categorized and modeled around short, medium and long distance races.

Conclusion

In summary, disabled athletes should enjoy the benefits of sporting activities because there are sports which are friendly to them. Through these track and field events, they can have healthy competition and even make a career out of it.