T46 (classification)

File:39 ACPS Atlanta 1996 Track Amy Winters.jpg

Australian T46 competitor Amy Winters

File:65 ACPS Atlanta 1996 Track Tim Matthews.jpg

Australian T46 competitor Tim Matthews.

T46 and F46 are disability sport classification for disability athletics. T46 is for track events and F46 is for field events.

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."

There were changes made to the class in 2008, that made the category more selective by changing the minimum criteria to be eligible to compete in this classification.

Sport

This classification is for disability athletics. This classification is one of several classifications for athletes with ambulant related disabilities. Similar classifications are T40, T42, T43, T44, T45 and T46. Jane Buckley, writing for the Sporting Wheelies, describes the athletes in this classification as: "Single above elbow/Single below elbow amputation or similar disability." The Australian Paralympic Committee defines this classification as being for athletes who have the "Single arm, above or below elbow amputation. Normal function in both lower limbs. Other impairments in trunk. Upper limb function in throwing." The International Paralympic Committee defined this as: "The following athletes compete in class T46 for all running and jumping events: • Athletes with UNILATERAL upper limb impairment that meets the relevant unilateral criteria described for upper limb deficiency (Section 4.1.4.b.i), impaired upper limb ROM (Section 4.1.5.c.i) or impaired upper limb muscle power (Section 4.1.6.c.i); • Athletes with BILATERAL impairment meeting the bilateral criteria described for upper limb deficiency in Section 4.1.4.b.i."

Becoming classified

Athletes seeking to compete in para-athletics first need to have a classification assessment. During this, they undergo a medical examination and are asked to demonstrate their skills in athletics, such as running, jumping or throwing. A determination is then made as to what an classification an athlete should compete in. Classifications may be Confirmed or Review status. For athletes who do not have access to a full classification panel, Provisional classification is available; this is a temporary Review classification, considered an indication of class only, and generally used only in lower levels of competition.

Competitors

Notable athletes in this class include T46 world record holders Heath Francis (AUS), Gunther Matzinger (AUT) and Yunidis Castillo (CUB). Ajibola Adeoye's T46 100m world record, set at the 1992 Summer Paralympics, has not yet been beaten. Simon Patmore (AUS) and South African sprinter Zivan Smith also run in this class.

Madeleine Hogan (AUS) is a field competitor in this class, winner of the F46 javelin event at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships.

See also

• Para-athletics classification
• Athletics at the Summer Paralympics
• Athletics at the 2008 Summer Paralympics – Men's 100 metres T46