Powerlifting Class (Paralympics)

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Powerlifting Class is the only starting class of Paralympic sports for athletes in Paralympic weightlifting .

Weightlifting in the Paralympic sense is an adapted bench press in which the arm and trunk functions of an impaired athlete are particularly important, while the hip and leg functions may be reduced or non-existent. In order to be allowed to start in Paralympic weightlifting, minimum conditions must be met on two levels. The athletes must first show a minimum of body control and demonstrate that they can work with heavy weights. This is a prerequisite because of the risk involved in working with heavy weights while lying down. In addition, the weightlifters must have at least a minimal level of physical impairment that would make starting normal weightlifting competitions impossible.

When working with heavy weights, it must be ensured that:

  • Athletes do not have a known visual impairment (e.g. impairment according to B1 / B2 / B3 ) - and that
  • Athletes do not have a known intellectual impairment (see e.g. IQ limitation ) - and that
  • the competitor must have the ability to fully extend both of his arms, with no less limitation from full extension than 20 ° in each elbow - and that
  • an athlete must be able to firmly grip the bar with the weights with both hands and fully extend his arms.

If these minimum functional conditions are met, there are also minimum physical impairments that must be met for the physical impairment , which primarily relate to restricted functions of the legs and hips:

  • Missing limbs, amputation through or above the ankle - or
  • Short stature - or
  • legs of different lengths - or
  • various impairments (such as stiffening) of the musculoskeletal system such as slight functional restrictions of the legs and slight balance problems - or
  • Muscle hypertension / ataxia / athetosis / cerebral palsy with minimal but obvious damage to functions, the presence of spastic paralysis and / or involuntary movements in at least one limb - or
  • Limitations of muscle strength or passive mobility (such as in the case of complete or incomplete paraplegics ), with at least a 10% loss of muscle strength in the legs.

All athletes start lying down, which mainly balances out functional disorders of the legs and lower torso.

See also

Web links

  • dbs-npc.de - Paralympic classification system
  • bisp.de - Online classification system for Paralympic sports

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b National Paralympic Committee Germany: Guide to the Paralympic Classification System 2016
  2. ↑ Federal Institute for Sports Science (BISp): The classification system for Paralympic sports