Paratriathlon at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Paratriathlon at the Paralympic Games
Venue	Fort Copacabana
Dates	10–12 September 2016
Competitors	60 in six events

The paratriathlon competitions at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro are scheduled to take place from 10–12 September 2016 at Fort Copacabana. Sixty athletes will compete across two genders, and six events.^[1] This will be the first Paralympic Games to feature paratriathlon, one of two new sports (along with paracanoe) added to the schedule for 2016.

Format

The Paralympic triathlon contains three components; a 750 m (820 yd) swim, 20 km (12 mi) cycle, and a 5 km (3.1 mi) run. The competitions take the form of a single event between all competitors with no heats. Competition takes place across four of the five recognised paratriathlon classifications; both genders will compete in the PT2 and PT4 classifications, the PT1 category for men only, where wheelchair athletes use handcycles on the cycling leg, and racing wheelchairs on the run leg, and the PT5 category for women only, where women with visual impairments will be assisted by a sighted guide, using a tandem bicycle on the cycling leg; as with other events for blind and visually impaired athletes, any guide will not count as a quota athlete but will be awarded a medal as appropriate.

No competition will be held in the PT3 classification in 2016.

Paratriathlon at the 2016 Summer Paralympics - Classification and events

Classification	Description	Men's Event	Women's Event
PT1	Athletes with mobility impairments that render them incapable of safely running or pedalling a bicycle. They must have a classification assessment score of up to 640,0 points. Athletes must use a recumbent handcycle during the cycling stage and a racing wheelchair for the running phase of the race.	●	no women's event will be held in this classification in 2016.
PT2	Athletes with mobility impairments that have a classification assessment score of up to 454,9 points. Amputees may use approved prostheses or supportive devices during the running and cycling stages.	●	●
PT3	Athletes with mobility impairments such as muscle power, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis that have a classification assessment score from 455,0 to 494,9 points. Athletes may use approved prostheses or supportive devices during the running and cycling stages.	no event will be held in this classification in 2016
PT4	Athletes with mobility impairments such as muscle power, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis that have a classification assessment score from 495,0 to 557,0 points. Athletes may use approved prostheses or supportive devices during the running and cycling stages.	●	●
PT5	Athletes with a visual impairment. All qualifying levels of visual impairment, IBSA/IPC defined sub-classes B1, B2, and B3, are grouped together in this classification. Athletes must have a sighted guide of the same gender and nationality during the entire race and use a tandem bicycle during the cycling stage. The guide will not be counted towards a quota, but will be eligible to receive a medal.	no men's event will be held in this classification in 2016.	●

Qualification

In 2016, the field will largely be selected on the basis of rankings, although spaces will be reserved for the nation represented by the 2015 World Champion in each classification, two host nation athletes, and eight selections from the Bipartite Commission. If host nation athletes are quaified using the ITU Rankings criteria, the host nation places will be reduced, and awarded instead by the Bipartite Commission.

An National Paralympic Committee (NPC) may be allocated a maximum of two qualification slots per medal event for a maximum total of twelve qualification slots in 2016. Exceptions may be made via the Bipartite Commission Invitation Allocation method.

To be eligible for selection by an NPC, athletes must:

• be ranked on the ITU Paralympic Qualification List closing 30 June 2016;
• be internationally classified with either a
  • ‘Confirmed’ sport class status or a
  • ‘Review’ sport class status with a review date after 31 December 2016.

Ten places, not including guides in the PT5 classification, are available for each of the six events, awarded as follows:

Paratriathlon at the 2016 Summer Paralympics - Qualification
Qualification event	Number	PT1	PT2	PT4
		Men
2015 ITU World Championships 19 September 2015 Chicago	1 per event	Australia (AUS)	Italy (ITA)	Canada (CAN)
2016 ITU Paralympic Qualification List	6 per event
Host Quota across all 6 events	2
Bipartite Committee Places across all 6 events	8
		Women
		PT2	PT4	PT5
2015 ITU World Championships 19 September 2015 Chicago	1 per event	United States (USA)	Great Britain (GBR)	Australia (AUS)
2016 ITU Paralympic Qualification List	6 per event
Host Quota across all 6 events	2
Bipartite Committee Places across all 6 events	8

Medal summary

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men's individual
Women's individual
Men's individual
Women's individual
Men's individual
Women's individual

Medal table

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1		0	0	0	0
Total		6	6	6	18

References

1. "Rio 2016: Paralympic Qualification guide" (PDF). Rio 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2015.