Para Athletics

Introduction to Vision Impairments

Below a red banner with the athletics Canada logo there are pictures of three athletes An athlete with white rimmed black out glasses leans back to throw the javelin. The athlete wears a black and red athletic shirt. An athlete with black goggle like sunglasses and blond shoulder length curly hair points toward the sky. Their sport assistant, wearing a black long sleeve shirt and a yellow guide vest holds their wrist to help direct them. Aa athlete wearing a black and red singlet with short brown hair is seen in a running stride with another athlete close behind.

Sport Classes T/F 11-13 – Athletes with a vision impairment

A vision impairment is an impairment of the eye structure, optical nerves or pathways, or visual cortex, which impacts the vision in one or both eyes.

Athletes in these classes have a vision impairment which is severe enough to impact on sport. They compete in one of three sport classes in track and jumps (T11-13) and throws (F11-13):

  • Class T/F11: Very low visual acuity and/or no light perception, must use a guide for track events
  • Class T/F12: High visual acuity than T11 and/or a visual field of less than 10 degrees diameter, may use a guide for track events
  • Class T/F13: Moderately impaired vision, highest visual acuity of these classes and/or a visual field of less than 40 degrees diameter. MAY NOT use a guide for track events

To learn more about Classification in Para Athletics, visit https://paralympic.ca/paralympic-sports/para-athletics

So, what’s the difference between a Guide and a Sport Assistant?

In the context of Paralympic Sports, a Guide is an athlete who competes alongside an athlete with a vision impairment. Guides are required to have the same sport technical skills and aptitudes as the Para Athlete.

To put it into context: Imagine a Visually Impaired athlete competing as a T11 athlete in a sprint event; Their guide must be able to run at the same speed (pace) if not faster than the athlete they are supporting. The same is required for endurance events which is why in some cases, long distance Para athletes switch guides halfway through a race.

The current World Records for the 100m T11 is 0:10.82 and 15:11.07 for the 5,000m.

Sport Assistances play a vital role for field athletes, but they do not compete per say. Sport Assistants help them onto the field of play and support them with acoustic cues and guidance to help them get into position. In throws events they must leave the circle before an athlete engages and can return to the circle after the event is complete to guide the athlete off the field of play.

Guides and Sport Assistants are also crucial to supporting athletes off the field of play at competitions and major Games and they combine an important combination of athletics and technical knowledge and interpersonal skills that make them an important part of Para Athletics delivery.

Former Olympians, elite collegial and university level athletes are great candidates to take on this role for high performance Para Athletes but at the Grassroots level, siblings, coaches and Provincial level athletes are often engaged in these roles.

If you are interested in becoming a guide, please contact para@athletics.ca

We caught up with Paralympians Jason Dunkerley and Ness Murby to ask them a few questions:

What is a tip you can offer a coach starting to train a VI athlete?

Jason: Talk to the athlete and don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't get too caught up on language and using the wrong terminology as athletes are generally very open-minded and easygoing. The accommodations they need may be quite simple. Think creatively about how to include the athlete. For example, an up-and-coming VI athlete may not be at the equivalent training level as others in the group, so you could modify the workout and have them run 400s of the km repeats which others are doing on the track. Set a positive tone and make it the norm for others within the group to assist with guiding.

Ness:

  • Consider beyond the in-person training session. How is your athlete getting to training? What are they able to do to train autonomously?
  • Consider added energy expenditure. Is the environment new to the athlete? Do they travel a complex route to attend? Do they use mobility aids (cane? Guidedog? None?)
  • Assess the hazards. Ensure ALL equipment, gear, furniture, athlete belongings etc is either left in a designated position that can be learnt or not left out at all. 
  • Always ask, verbalise specifically, before physically touching another person “is it ok if I touch your lower leg and foot to show you what I mean?”

Top qualities you look for in a guide or sport assistant?

Definitely the ability to run as fast or ideally faster than me, but also, a person who is focussed and serious about training, consistent, disciplined and motivated. I look for someone who I know can help to bring out the best in me. It's very important also for us to get along and want to do well for each other.

Ness:

In addition, Jason had these tips in helping coaches and clubs find guides for their athletes?

Coaches and clubs should communicate the message that guiding is a wonderful way to engage with the sport, form deep and meaningful connections and make a positive difference. I've heard numerous guides of VI athletes speak about how much they feel they benefit from the experience of guiding and the bond they cultivate with the athletes they get to work with. And who knows: openness to being a guide could lead to an opportunity to aspire for a national team and perhaps even to represent Canada internationally alongside the VI athlete they are helping, but even if it doesn't, saying yes to becoming a guide is to open a door of possibility for a runner with a visual impairment who may otherwise never get to experience what running gives us - the lightness and freedom of moving under our own power. Training and racing beside a visually impaired athlete attest to the fact that running really doesn't have to be an individual sport at all.

Rules & Regulations

There are a few rule modifications for Visually Impaired athletes such as:

  • Eye patches must completely cover the eyes or eye cavities of T/F11 athletes.
  • A tether made of non-elastic material that does not store energy or offer a performance gain to an athlete must be used (track).
  • Guide cannot push, pull, or propel the athlete (track)
  • Athlete must finish ahead of guide (the guide must cross the finish line still attached to the athlete by the tether before the athlete may be released by the guide) (track)
  • Assistants may orient the athlete on the runway or throwing circle (field)
  • Use sound to direct the athlete (field)
  • Athlete must exit circle before guide can physically assist. Verbal assistance in exiting is okay. (field)

Please refer to the rules for full descriptions which are outlined in the World Para Athletics (WPA) Rules and Regulations

Your questions answered

Do Lane violations for events with visually impaired athletes apply to the guide runner as well? 

Or can the guide move between two lanes?

Lane infringement rules still apply; however, the athlete and guide will be allocated two lanes and together they must stay within those two lanes (where applicable).

Further information on this rule can be found on page 115 of the World Para Athletics (WPA) Rules and Regulations

Listen and watch Lex Gilette, a 5-time Paralympic medalist for Team USA tell his story and how his sport assistant helps him compete in Long Jump.

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