• Swimming is open to all disabilityA Disability is generally a condition either caused by accident, trauma, genetics or disease, which may restrict a person's mental processes, senses or mobility. categories.
• Events are divided into three classifications: vision impairedThis refers to any group condition which interferes with 'normal' vision. This incorporates the entire range of vision difficulties, from correctable conditions through to total blindness. athletes, athletes with a physical disability (functional).
• As in the Olympic GamesThe Olympic Games are an international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. athletes compete in Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Medley events.
• Athletes are classified based on their functional ability to perform each stroke.
• Swimming has been included since the first ParalympicsGames held in parallel (or beside) the Olympic Games for athletes with disabilities. in Rome in 1960.

Classification

Prefixes

S = freestyle, backstroke, butterfly

SB = breaststroke

SM = individual medley

1-10: Allocated to swimmers with a physical disability
11-13: Allocated to swimmers with a visual impairmentdisability
14: Allocated to swimmers with an intellectual disabilityIndividuals who have limitations in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviour.

*The lower the number the more sever the disability.

Swimmers may have a classification which varies according to their event - for example, it may change between breaststroke and backstroke, according to the effect of their disability on the event in question.

Click on the image below to watch a short video on Swimming Classification::