S9 (classification)

S9, SB8, SM9 are disability swimming classifications used for categorising swimmers based on their level of disability.

History

The classification was created by the International Paralympic Committee and has roots in a 2003 attempt to address "the overall objective to support and co-ordinate the ongoing development of accurate, reliable, consistent and credible sport focused classification systems and their implementation." In 1997, Against the odds : New Zealand Paralympians said this classification was graded along a gradient, with S1 being the most disabled and S10 being the least disabled. At this time, competitors who were S9 classified tended to be above the elbow or above the knee amputees.

Sport

This classification is for swimming. In the classification title, S represents Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly strokes. SB means breaststroke. SM means individual medley. Jane Buckley, writing for the Sporting Wheelies, describes the swimmers in this classification as having: "severe weakness in one leg only; Swimmers with very slight coordination problems; Swimmers with one limb loss. Unless there is an underlying medical condition usually all of these athletes will start out of the water." Swimming classifications are on a gradient, with one being the most severely physically impaired to ten having the least amount of physical disability.

Competitions

For this classification, organisers of the Paralympic Games have the option of including the following events on the Paralympic programme: 50m and 100m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, 100m Breaststroke and 200m Individual Medley events

Records

In the S9 50 m Freestyle Long Course, the men's world record is held by Australia's Matthew Cowdrey and the women's world record is held by South Africa's Natalie Du Toit. In the S9 100 m Freestyle Long Course, the men's world record is held by Australia's Rowan Crothers and the women's world record is held by South Africa's Natalie Du Toit.

Paralympic records

The table below records the fastest ever Paralympic record in this class for specific events.

Event	Class	Time		Name	Nation	Date	Games	Ref
50 m freestyle	S9	25.34	WR	Matthew John Cowdrey	Australia	Sep 14, 2008	2008 Beijing
100 m freestyle	S9	54.58	WR	Rowan Crothers	Australia	July 24, 2014	2014 Glasgow
400 m freestyle	S9	4:17.02	WR	Jesus Collado	Spain	Sep 12, 2008	2008 Beijing
100 m backstroke	S9	1:03.34	WR	Matthew John Cowdrey	Australia	Sep 13, 2008	2008 Beijing
100 m butterfly	S9	59.34	WR	Tamas Sors	Hungary	Sep 7, 2008	2008 Beijing

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by IPC; WR – World record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg

Getting classified

In Australia, to be classified in this category, athletes contact the Australian Paralympic Committee or their state swimming governing body. In the United States, classification is handled by the United States Paralympic Committee on a national level. The classification test has three components: "a bench test, a water test, observation during competition." American swimmers are assessed by four people: a medical classified, two general classified and a technical classifier.

Competitors

File:120411 - Matthew Cowdrey - 3b - 2012 Team processing.jpg

S9 classified swimmer Matthew Cowdrey

Swimmers who have competed in this classification include Ellie Cole, Jesus Collado and Matthew Cowdrey who all won medals in their class at the 2008 Paralympics.

American swimmers who have been classified by the United States Paralympic Committee as being in this class include Dana Albrycht, Luis Alicea, Hannah Aspden, Joseph Peppersack, and Staci Perrige.

See also

• Para-swimming classification
• Swimming at the Summer Paralympics
• Swimming at the 2008 Summer Paralympics – Men's 100 metre butterfly S9