Sport Week: Classification in Para archery

Athletes are grouped in two sport classes and compete against others in their same class 19 Feb 2020

Brazilian male archer in his wheelchair aiming at the target

W1-classified archer Andrey Muniz de Castro competes in his strongest event, the men's compound open, at Rio 2016

ⒸOIS

By IPC

Athletes in Para archery are classified in either W1 or Open sport class, depending on their impairment, and they compete against athletes in their own sport class.

W1-classified archers compete in a wheelchair because their impairment includes the loss of leg and trunk function. Their arms also show a loss of muscle strength, coordination or range of movement. For example, one impairment that might fit this sport class profile is tetraplegia.

Open

In the past, archers were also classified as W2 and ST sport classes. But now, these two classes have been merged into “open.” Athletes in this class may have a strong activity limitation in their trunk and legs and compete in a wheelchair or have an impairment in their leg and compete standing or resting on a stool due to balance control. They either have a leg-length difference, limb deficiency or impairments that also affect their arms and trunk. This profile would fit paraplegic archers.
Athletes with a vision impairment are also eligible to compete, but the sport class is not part of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games programme.

More information on classification in Para archery can be found on World Archery’s website.