Brief C

Entry-level athlete training aid for a paralympic sport. Para Sport Loughborough.

Background

There are 23 summer Paralympic Sports, ranging from running, swimming, cycling to jumping, wheelchair rugby and basketball, and to rifle shooting and archery. We would like you to produce an inclusive sports product which optimises the performance of training or competition for athletes. The needs of each sport will differ and the needs of different impairment groups may also vary greatly.

Need

We have two design options for you:

Option 1

Those competing at the highest level often have very bespoke and high-cost solutions to enable them to train and compete to the highest level possible. However, for those looking to get started specialist equipment that allows them to train and start their competitive journey is often out of reach; this is a huge barrier to disabled people getting involved in sport and this is about creating opportunity.

We would like you to design a product which could be made at a relatively low cost and allow participation up to a competitive level for a specific impairment type within an identified sport(s).

Areas you may wish to focus on include:

  • Creating symmetry
  • Reducing imbalance
  • Improving fit
  • Improving comfort

Option 2

For those competing at the highest level their objective is to maximise performance potential and as such they are looking for cutting edge and bespoke solutions to individual problems. Please look to design a solution for a particular impairment type within an identified sport. This product may be completely individualised to a specific athlete or more wider reaching to allow adaptations for others.

As with the participation level solutions you are often looking to achieve similar aims, but there is also a need to ensure that performance is maximised. You will need to look at:

  • Solutions which maximise performance
  • Creating symmetry
  • Reducing imbalance
  • Maximising aerodynamics
  • Improving fit
  • Improving grip

Examples

Examples you may wish to consider to start thinking are:

Para Triathlon - Both below and above knee amputees swim without a prosthetic.  They then need to wear a prosthetic to ride and bike and to run.  Can you design a solution which reduces the time the athletes will take in transition as they swap legs, but which doesn’t reduce their performance in the bike or run segment of the race.

Para Rowing/Canoe – can you investigate solutions that will allow athletes to maximise their performance when they do not have either full leg function or core control.

Resources

1. Para Archery

  • Overview: Para archery is an adapted form of archery for athletes with physical impairments, where competitors use bows to shoot arrows at targets from a set distance. The sport is governed by similar rules to standard archery, with adjustments for athletes using wheelchairs, prosthetics, or other assistive devices.
  • UK Governing Body: Archery GB website
  • Website: Disabled Archery website

2. Para Athletics

  • Overview: Para athletics consists of track and field sports for athletes with physical, visual, or intellectual impairments. It includes events such as running, jumping, and throwing, with athletes classified based on their disabilities to ensure fair competition.
  • UK Governing Body: British Athletics website
  • Website: Paralympic Performance Pathway

3. Para Badminton

  • Overview: Para badminton is an adaptive version of badminton designed for athletes with physical impairments. It includes six sport classes based on different types of physical disabilities, and athletes compete in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events.
  • UK Governing Body: Badminton England website
  • Website: Disability Badminton website

4. Boccia

  • Overview: Boccia is a precision ball sport designed for athletes with severe physical disabilities, where players aim to throw or roll leather balls as close as possible to a target ball, called the "jack." It is played individually or in teams on a flat, smooth surface.
  • UK Governing Body: Boccia UK website

5. Para Canoeing

  • Overview: Para canoeing is an adaptive sport where athletes with physical disabilities compete in canoe or kayak events over a set distance, typically 200 meters.
  • UK Governing Body: Paddle UK website
  • Website: Paracanoe website

6. Para Climbing

7. Para Cycling

  • Overview: Para cycling is a competitive sport where athletes with disabilities race on bicycles or handcycles, depending on their classification. It includes both road and track events, and the athletes are classified based on their functional abilities to ensure fair competition.
  • UK Governing Body: British Cycling website
  • Website: Para Cycling Website

8. Blind Football (5-a-side)

  • Overview: Blind football, also known as visually impaired football, is a variant of football designed for athletes with visual impairments. Players use a ball with a built-in noise-emitting device, and the game is played with guidance from auditory cues and a sighted guide known as a “goalkeeper” who helps direct the players.
  • UK Governing Body: International Blind Sports Federation website
  • Website:  IBSA Football

9. Para Equestrian

10. Goalball

  • Overview: Goalball is a team sport designed for athletes with visual impairments, where players use their bodies to block a ball with bells from entering their goal. The game is played on a court with markings to help players navigate and position themselves.
  • UK Governing Body: Goalball UK website

11. Para Judo

  • Overview: Para judo is a modified version of judo designed for athletes with visual impairments. It follows similar rules to standard judo but includes adjustments such as guides for orientation and specific techniques adapted for athletes with different levels of vision.
  • UK Governing Body: International Blind Sports Federation website 
  • Website: IBSA Judo website

12. Para Powerlifting

  • Overview: Para powerlifting is a strength sport where athletes with physical impairments compete in bench pressing. The competition focuses on maximum weight lifted, with athletes classified based on their level of impairment to ensure fair competition.
  • UK Governing Body: British Weightlifting website
  • Website: Para Powerlifting Performance website

13. Para Rowing  

  • Overview: Para rowing is a form of rowing adapted for athletes with physical or visual impairments. It includes various classifications to ensure fair competition and can be performed in single or multi-person boats, with modifications made to equipment and techniques as needed.
  • UK Governing Body: British Rowing
  • Website: GB Para Rowing website

14. Para Shooting 

  • Overview: Para shooting is a sport where athletes with physical disabilities compete in shooting events, using adaptive equipment and modified rules to ensure fair competition. It includes disciplines such as air rifle, air pistol, and small-bore rifle shooting.
  • UK Governing Body: British Shooting website
  • Website: British Shooting Paralympic Pathway website

15 Para Swimming

16. Para Table Tennis

  • Overview: Para table tennis follows the same rules as traditional table tennis but includes athletes with physical or intellectual disabilities.
  • UK Governing Body: British Para Table Tennis website

17. Para Taekwondo

18. Para Triathlon

19. Sitting Volleyball

20. Wheelchair Basketball

21. Wheelchair Tennis

  • Overview: Wheelchair tennis is similar to standard tennis, but players use specially designed wheelchairs.
  • UK Governing Body: Lawn Tennis Association
  • Website: Wheelchair tennis website

22. Wheelchair Fencing

23. Wheelchair Rugby

  • Overview: Wheelchair rugby is a fast-paced and full-contact sport played by athletes with physical disabilities affecting at least three limbs.
  • UK Governing Body: GB Wheelchair Rugby website