T32 (classification)

T32 is disability sport classification for track events in disability athletics. This is a wheelchair racing class. The classification is one of three classes of wheelchair racing for people with athetosis, ataxia or hypertonia. The number of events available to people in this class has decreased since the 1980s, with no T32 events at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. While undergoing classification, T32 competitors both undergo a bench test of muscle coordination and demonstrate their skills in athletics.

This classification is for disability athletics. Jane Buckley, writing for the Sporting Wheelies, describes the athletes in this classification as: "CP2 (Upper), see CP-ISRA classes (appendix) Wheelchair " The classification in the appendix by Buckley goes on to say "Athletes are able to propel a wheelchair but have very poor useful strength in their arms, legs and trunk." The Australian Paralympic Committee defines this classification as being for "Severe to moderate quadriplegia." The International Paralympic Committee defined this classification on their website in July 2016 as, "Coordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis)".

Multiple types of disabilities are eligible to compete in this class. This class includes people who have have cerebral palsy, or who have had a stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Wheelchairs used by this class have three wheels, with a maximum rear height of 70 centimetres (28 in) and maximum front height of 50 centimetres (20 in). Chairs cannot have mirrors or any gears. They are not allowed to have anything protruding from the back of the chair. Officials can check for this by placing the chair against a wall, where the rear wheels should touch it without obstruction. As opposed to wearing hip numbers, racers in this class wear them on the helmet. Instead of wearing bibs, these numbers are put on the back of the racing chair and the racer.

Because this is a wheelchair class, different rules apply for overtaking with the responsibility lying with the racer coming from behind. They must be completely clear of the front wheel of the racer they are overtaking before cutting in front of them. The racer being overtaken cannot deliberately obstruct or impede the racer doing the overtaking. If a crash occurs within the first 50 meters of a race that is 800 meters or longer, the starting official has the option of recalling the race. In races in the United States, a race official's job for a crash is only to direct other racers around the accident 30 meters ahead of the accident.

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