T20 (classification)

Arleta Meloch, T20 world record holding athlete at three distances

T20 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics in track and jump events. It broadly covers athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Sport

This classification is for disability athletics.^[1] This classification broadly covers athletes with intellectual disabilities.^[2] The classification by Buckley goes on to say "To become eligible to compete in the Paralympic Games, all athletes with an Intellectual Disability have to reach the primary eligibility criteria, which is determined by:

• An IQ score at or below 75 (when IQ 100 is the score of the average person)
• Significant limitations in adaptive behaviour (conceptual, social or practical adaptive skills) [Examples may include: communication, self care, social skills, home living, health and safety]
• Onset acquired before the age of 18"^[1]

The International Paralympic Committee defined this classification on their website in July 2016 as, "(Intellectual impairment)".^[3]

Performance and rules

People in this class are required to use blocks for races 400 meters or less. They can be provided assistance in setting up their blocks if they make a request in advance.^[4]

Events

Internationally, events open to this class include the long jump, shot put, 400 meters and 1,500 meters. There may be more events on the national level at the discretion of the national track federation.^[4]

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."^[5]

Competitors

Competitors in this class include José Antonio Expósito and José Martínez Morote from Spain, Peyman Nasiri Bazanjani from Iran, and Daniel Pek, Barbara Niewiedzial, Karolina Kucharczyk, and Arleta Meloch from Poland.

See also

• Para-athletics classification
• Athletics at the Summer Paralympics
• S14, the classification for intellectual disabilities in swimming.

References

Paralympic Athletics Classification
	Track and jump events	T11 T12 T13 T20 T32 T33 T34 T35 T36 T37 T38 T40 T41 T42 T43 T44 T45 T46 T47 T51 T52 T53 T54
	Throwing events	F11 F12 F13 F20 F31 F32 F33 F34 F35 F36 F37 F38 F40 F41 F42 F43 F44 F45 F46 F51 F52 F53 F54 F55 F56 F57

Intellectual disability sport classification
	Athletics T20 Adaptive rowing ID Equestrian Grade III
	Swimming S14 Table tennis Class 11