Athletics is one of the most popular sports enjoyed by people with cerebral palsy.

Athletics involves a number of events in track, distances range from 100m – 10000m for ambulant, wheelchair and racerunner athletes. Ambulant athletes also compete in cross-country events distances are 3000m and  5000m. Road race distances are 10000m, ½ marathon and full marathon.

In field ambulant athletes compete in shot, discus, javelin and long jump while wheelchair athletes compete in shot put, discus, javelin and club events.

There are events for severely impaired athletes, which include spungdis, javelin ball, kick & thrust medicine ball, & height and distance throw with the use of beanbags.

For a number of years the improvement of athletics performances as been progressive due to an increased knowledge of appropriate training programmes implemented by dedicated coaches around the world. Improvements continue to be adapted in the design of track chairs, throwing frames and racerunner for the benefit of the athlete.

Race runner is developing as an exciting event for many athletes, a new classification system is currently being reviewed by CPISRA. Wheelchair slalom is also being reviewed.

The CPISRA rules and classification manual outlines specific rules governing specifications to wheelchair, race runner and throwing frame dimensions.

Competitions should be conducted under the current IAAF rules, modifications for athletes with cerebral palsy are outlined in the CPISRA rules and classification manual.

Competitive Opportunities

Many recreational participants and elite athletes with cerebral palsy compete in local non-disabled competitions.

Performances at sanctioned events will qualify for CPISRA world records and ranking lists, which are updated each year. Many countries conduct regional or national CPISRA sanctioned competitions in which guests from visiting nations are eligible to participate.

CPISRA also works to ensure that International Paralympic Committee (IPC) events are open to athletes with cerebral palsy.

However since 1996 events at IPC World and Paralympic level have declined this as resulted in some events being combined with other disability groups or even deleted from the programme. In short at a World and Paralympic level the event list has been reduced.

During the 2002 IPC world athletics championships in Lille, France an introduction of a points score table for some field events was introduced, this system will also be used for the 2004 Athens Paralympics.

A major four-year cycle of events includes Paralympic Games, CPISRA World Games, IPC World Games, IPC Regional e.g. European. 

Classification for Athletics

In an attempt to equalise competition athletes with cerebral palsy are classified and grouped with other competitors who have a similar physical disability.

There are eight classes in the CPISRA athletics programme, classes 1-4 are wheelchair specific and classes 5-8 are ambulant specific.

During the classification process athletes demonstrate various components of the event using competition equipment for either track or field.

International classification is conducted at major games, a team will consist of a Doctor, Physiotherapist and Sports technician.