As part of the Championships, the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) in conjunction with Athletics Australia, Athletics Queensland and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will provide an opportunity for international classification to ensure athletes are eligible for London 2012.

The classification and testing period will run from March 27 to 30 with the competition set to take place from March 30 to April 1.

Sixteen Australian track and field athletes currently in the London 2012 Paralympic shadow squad are hoping to finalise their classifications ahead of the Games.

"The APC's aim is to minimise the number of athletes who need to be classified during London so that athletes can focus on their preparation and performance without the distraction of classification," said APC classification manager Genevieve McMahon.

"It is also a major opportunity for developing athletes from Australia and the greater Oceania region to gain international classification early on in their athletic careers."

In Paralympic sport, athletes receive a classification to ensure fair competition.


Athletes are grouped according to how their impairment impacts on their sport and to compete against others with the same classification.

The event in Brisbane will also include athlete testing by researchers at the University of Queensland as part of the IPC Athletics Classification Research Project, which is supported by the APC.

The testing, which is free of charge, will not influence an athlete's current or future class and will be completed over two to three hours on one of the days prior to the Championships.

The testing involves effort that is similar to a pre-competition warm-up and includes ample recovery time so that performance in the competition should not be affected.

All results are confidential, with copies of the reports being made available only to the athlete themselves and their coach.

All athletes who participate in the research will receive a subsidy to cover any extra ground transport or meals that may be required.


The APC has so far invested $50,000 (£32,000/€38,000) into various stages of the project as part of its commitment to develop and improve the current Paralympic athletics classification system.

Since the APC's classification programme began in 2006, more than 3,000 athlete classifications have taken place across all sports, ensuring more athletes can compete in meaningful competition as early in their careers as possible.

Classification opportunities at the Queensland State Athletics Championships are open for athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments and will take place at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre.

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Contact the writer of this story at tom.degun@insideworldparasport