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Para swimming

Para swimming is swimming for classified athletes with physical, vision or intellectual impairments. It uses pool races in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, medley and relays; starts, turns and support routines can be adapted by class.

LevelAdaptive FamilyAquatics Family CategoryWater sport / para swimming

AI-generated illustration: Para swimming — AI-generated illustration

Classification

Category Water sport / para swimming

Family Aquatics Family

Level Adaptive

Getting started

Kurzbeschreibung Pool swimming with World Para Swimming classification and sport-specific adaptations.

Geeignet für Suitable for people who like measurable times, water training and individually adapted technique progression.

Cost Trial session in a club/para programme with pool access; clarify classification only when aiming for competition. Club fee, pool time, coach, swimwear, cap, goggles and possible classification/travel costs. Swim club with para provision, inclusive swim training or national para-swimming contact. Clarify water competence, lane access and allowed support befo…

First progress Technique feedback helps quickly; race times and classification need regular training.

Fitness level medium

Was du brauchst

pool
coach
swimwear
cap
goggles
safe entry/exit
possible tapper/classification

First steps

clarify pool access
find coach/para group
test body position and entry/exit
swim short technique sets
check classification when aiming to race

Swim club, para-swimming programme, national federation or inclusive pool training.

Train only with safe pool access, supervision, suitable support and realistic load progression.

Weitere Angaben

Tags swimming, para, water, para-swimming, water-sport, aquatics-familie, wassersport-para-schwimmen, para-schwimmen

Rules and format

Die Grundlagen

Ziel

Complete the listed distance in the relevant stroke and sport class faster than the competition.

Teilnehmer

Individual athletes or relays.

Teamgröße

Individual or relay.

Spielfeld

Pool with marked lanes.

Dauer

Depends on format and event.

Wertung

Time after a legal race.

Gewinnbedingung

Best valid time, placing or score in the announced format.

Ausrüstung

swimwear
cap
goggles
starting block/pool
possible tapper

Wichtige Regelpunkte

false start
illegal turn
illegal stroke
leaving lane
non-compliant support

Regelquellen

Federations and sources

Federations

World Para Swimming
World Para Swimming (WPS)

Para Swimming about World Para Swimming / IPC · official · high
Para-Swimming Classification Explained Swim England · federation-guide · high
World Para Swimming Classification Rules and Regulations World Para Swimming / IPC · rulebook · high