PARA SPORTS

Para table tennis

PARA TABLE TENNIS IS A SPORT OPEN TO ATHLETES WITH PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES; THERE ARE SINGLES, TEAMS AND DOUBLES EVENTS, IN BOTH MALE AND FEMALE CATEGORIES.


Players are grouped in 11 categories, depending on their range of impairment.
This is a Para sport of speed and skill, and can be played on a wheelchair or standing up.

Sports classification

In Para table tennis, athletes are grouped into 11 classes, based on the impact of their impairment on their performance: 1-5 for those competing on wheelchairs, 6-10 for those who play standing and 11 for standing athletes with a learning disability. Within wheelchair and standing classes, the lower the number, the greater the impact the impairment has on an athlete's ability to compete.

History

This discipline was included at the 1960 Paralympics programme and at the 1999 Parapan American Games in Mexico City.

At first, only athletes on wheelchairs could play. But at the Toronto 1976 Paralympic Games, activities for standing players were included. Nowadays, this sport considers a range of athletes with physical and intellectual impairments.

Surprisingly, Para table tennis has a much longer history at the Paralympics than Table tennis at the Olympics, first appearing in 1988. Today, table tennis is the third largest sport in terms of number of athletes.

The Parapan American medal count is led by Brazil with 83 medals in total, 25 of which are gold.

How do you play?

The rules are practically the same as for regular table tennis, but with minor exceptions. For example, in classes 1 to 5 the serve must be directed to the back of the table. It is played to the best of five sets of 11 points. In the event of a tie at 10 points, a difference of two points must be obtained to win the set.

Those who are standing play under the same conditions and rules as in Olympic table tennis and, certainly, with the same speed, power, and skills. The dimensions of the table are the same as for traditional table tennis: 2.74m long and 1.525 wide, located in a horizontal plane 76cm, from the ground. With a modification for wheelchair athletes, the table legs are fixed at least 40cm from the end line in order to prevent players from hitting it when approaching.

There are male, female, individual, double, and team competitions.

Quiz

Para table tennis consists of how many sets?

Check answer

Information for the community

Para table Tennis is one of the most practiced sports in the world. It can be played individually, in doubles or in teams, its aim is to hit the ball so that it goes over or around the net and it bounces on the opponent's table in a way that the opponent is not able to reach it or respond correctly.

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