London Paralympics event guide, from boccia through to goalball

We talk you through everything you need to know about the 21 events that make up the London Paralympic Games
Wheelchair rugby - otherwise known as murderball - is the most frantic of the 21 Paralympics events. Photograph: Guang Niu/Getty Images


Archers are required to hit a 122cm-wide target from 70 metres away and are classified into three groups: standing (ARST), wheelchair one (ARW1) and wheelchair two (ARW2). The competition is split into two knockout competitions, one for each type of bow: compound and recurve. Men and women compete separately, in teams and as individuals.


Athletes compete in standard track and field events with the aid of prosthetic legs, sighted running-mates or in wheelchairs. They are categorised into several classes according to their disability, which are divided into those with visual impairments, intellectual impairments, cerebral palsy, those with loss of limbs or limb deficiency and those who race or throw from a seated position. One event exclusive to the Paralympics is the club throw, at which Great Britain's Stephen Miller excels.


Similar to bowls, the aim of boccia is to throw your balls as close as you can to a jack. Played by men and women in pairs, teams or as individuals, two sides go head-to-head over four or six ends depending on the event. Each team gets six balls per end to aim at the jack and points are awarded for the number of balls closest to the jack in each end.

Cycling – road

Riders compete in road races, time trials and mixed team relays and depending on their disability, they ride one of four bikes: tandems for visually impaired athletes with sighted pilots (B), hand cycles powered by hand pedals (H1-H4), tricycles for athletes whose impairment means they struggle to balance on a standard bike (T1-2) and modified bicycles (C1-5). Within each class, athletes are also given a classification number to ensure they are racing against a fair field.

Cycling – track

Track cyclists compete in both individual and team races in time trial, individual pursuit and sprint formats. Cyclists ride modified track bikes, where the riders are classified from C1-5 with the lower the number, the greater the impairment, or on tandem bikes for visually impaired athletes with sighted pilots.


Riders are divided into several grades, Ia, Ib, II, III and IV. Grade Ia is for athletes with the greatest impairment, while IV is for those with the least. Riders across all five grades compete in both the individual championship and freestyle test events as well as a team event.

Football five-a-side

Five-a-side football is reserved for visually impaired players. Four players on each side wear blackout masks to ensure an equal amount of sight for each player, and goalkeepers are sighted. The game is made up of two 25-minute halves and the pitch is surrounded by a sound-reflecting wall to help players communicate, while the crowd is asked to avoid being noisy while the game is in play.

Football seven-a-side

The seven-a-side game is for players with cerebral palsy. It consists of two 30-minute halves played on a traditional seven-a-side pitch. Players are classified by disability from C5 to C8, with C8 being those with minimal disabilities. Teams are only allowed a maximum of three C8 players and must contain at least one C5 or C6 athlete.


Goalball is a sport for visually impaired athletes. Played over two 12-minute halves, two teams of three players wearing blackout masks battle it out to try and throw a hard rubber ball, loaded with bells, past the opposition and into the net at speeds of up to 60mph. Silence is a must due to the nature of the game, so crowds remain golf-course quiet.


Judo is another sport reserved for visually impaired athletes, who are given a rating before competing: B1 (blind), B2 and B3 (various levels of visual impairment). Unlike other sports, disability doesn't have a bearing on who the athletes fight, it is weight which determines categories. Male and female judoka compete separately.


Competitors are classified by weight alone, with athletes of varying disabilities competing against each other in a bench-press competition in 10 weight classes. These athletes can lift up to three times their own body weight, with the world record being 265kg – the weight of an African lion.


Rowing a course of 1,000m, men and women rowers are placed into one of three categories indicating the amount of functional ability they have; AS (arms and shoulders), TA (trunk and arms), LTA (legs, trunk and arms). There are four medal events to compete in including men's and women's single sculls (AS), a mixed coxed four (LTA) and a mixed double sculls (TA).


There are three medal events in Paralympic sailing – the single-, the two- and the three-person keelboat – with each country limited to one boat per event. Men and women can compete together and are given a points score depending on their disability; the lower the score, the greater the impairment, with each team limited to a certain number of points.


Men and women compete across eight air rifle and four pistol events in classes determined by their ability to support the firearm themselves (classified as SH1) or with the need for a shooting stand (SH2). Competitions range between 10m, 25m and 50m distances as shooters aim at a 10-ringed target to try and score the most points from standing, kneeling or prone positions.


Swimming in the Paralympic Games is no different in format to its Olympic counterpart. Swimmers are classified by their disability from S1, the more severely disabled, to S14. They are allowed to start the races in various positions depending on their disability so some competitors start standing or sitting on the diving board or already in the pool. Blind athletes have a "tapper" at the end of the pool to give them a gentle reminder when they approach the wall.

Table tennis

Standard table tennis rules apply; first to 11 wins a set in a best of five matches. Athletes are classed from 1-11; 1-5 is for wheelchair athletes, 6-10 is for standing athletes and 11 for those with intellectual disabilities – the lower the number, the greater the impairment. Men and women compete individually and in team events for 29 medals.

Sitting volleyball

Rules are the same as Olympic volleyball but part of the body, between the buttocks and the shoulder, must be in contact with the court when a shot is made. Two teams of six players contest five set matches, with the winner of each set being the first to 25 points. Players are either classed as "disabled" or those with "minimal disability", with a maximum of one "minimally disabled" player allowed on the court per team. Men and women compete in different competitions, but follow the same format.

Wheelchair basketball

Two teams of five players compete on a standard basketball court with 10ft-high hoops. Players must throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalised. Scoring is the same as Olympic basketball: two points for a regular shot, one for each successful free throw and three for a shot from distance. Each player is rated between 1 and 4.5, depending on their functional ability, and teams must not exceed 14 points on court at any one time. Men and women compete separately and each team has seven substitutes.

Wheelchair fencing

Fencers are fastened to a platform in their wheelchairs, set a fixed distance apart. Competitors fight in three categories – foil, sabre and epee – and each weapon has its own scoring area, with the foil scoring if contact with the torso is made, while sabre and epee can connect anywhere above the waist. Men and women fight in different competitions, and fighters are given a classification of either A or B, the latter being for the greater impairment.

Wheelchair rugby

Wheelchair rugby – otherwise known as murderball – sees two teams of four compete on a basketball court-sized playing area, with each team allowed eight rolling substitutes. The aim is to carry the ball across the opponent's goalline to score a try. A match consists of four eight-minute quarters with each team allowed 40 seconds in possession. Players have 10 seconds to either pass, score or bounce the ball before a foul is awarded. They are classified with a points score from 0.5 for those with the least physical function to 3.5 for those with the most. During the game, the team cannot exceed a total of eight points across those in play at one time.

Wheelchair tennis

Wheelchair tennis has one key difference from standard tennis regulations: the ball is allowed to bounce twice to allow athletes time to navigate the court. Athletes compete in men's and women's singles and doubles and both men and women compete in the quad singles – the category for players with an impairment in three or more limbs.

How it works: In the Paralympic kitbag

Boats, adaptive rowing Boats used by arms-only single scullers, such as Tom Aggar, feature a wider hull with stabilisers on each side. Competitors are strapped into a fixed seat to prevent leaning forward and gaining an unfair advantage.

Bicycles, cycling There are four types of cycles: a tandem used by those with a visual impairment, in which the blind cyclist sits at the rear and a sighted pilot at the front; tricycles for those whose balance makes them unable to race on two wheels; handcycles, with the pedals operated by hand; and modified bicycles.

Balls, football Similar to those used in able bodied football, except the inside of the ball contains ball bearings. This causes the ball to rattle when it moves, making it audible to blind players.

Soles, athletics In the past, athletes would often glue the sole of a trainer to their prosthesis, crudely imitating the effect of a regular running shoe. Now, sports brands have developed more sophisticated soles that can be clipped onto the prosthesis of an athlete, giving it the feel of a regular running shoe, while providing traction, comfort and support.

Wheelchairs, rugby Chairs are designed for high impacts, featuring a large bumper, and wings in front of the wheels, preventing the chair being caught by other competitors. Spoke protectors are also used.