Marathons at the Paralympics

Marathon events have been held at the Summer Paralympic Games, for both men and women, since the 1984 Summer Paralympics in Stoke Mandeville and New York City.[1][2] They are held as part of the Paralympic athletics programme.

Since the 1996 Games in Atlanta, marathon events, along with all other track events, have been categorised as follows:[3][4][5]

  • Visually impaired athletes compete in categories T11, T12 and T13, based on their level of disability. Totally blind athletes compete in T11 events, and are permitted to run with a sighted guide. (In 1996 only, the categories were named T10, T11 and T12, and blind athletes were thus categorised "T10".) The marathon for visually impaired athletes is held only for men, and in 2008, no marathon was held in categories T11 or T13, leaving the men's T12 marathon as the sole event for visually impaired athletes. The same was true in 2012.
  • Athletes with lower limb amputations, competing with prosthetics, run in categories T42 to T44, depending on their level of disability. In the marathon, athletes in these categories were able to compete only in 1996, when they were grouped together in a single event. The event was held for men only.
  • Athletes with upper limb amputations compete in category T46. The marathon in this category exists only for men. In 1996, they ran mixed with lower limb amputees. In 2000, they were awarded their distinct race, which was cancelled in 2004 and restored in 2008.
  • Wheelchair athletes compete in categories T51 to T54. These are the only categories open to women as well as men for the marathon. In 2008, three marathons were held in these categories: T52 for men, T54 for men and T54 for women. In 2012, there were only two: the men's T54 and the women's T54.

Heinrich Koeberle of Germany, active from 1984 to 2000, is the most successful Paralympic marathon competitor to date, having won four gold medals and one silver. Among the women, Connie Hansen of Denmark and Jean Driscoll of the United States have each won two Paralympic marathons.[6][7]

Results by Games[8][9]

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1984

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At the 1984 Games in Stoke Mandeville and New York, seven marathons were held for men, and four for women, all for wheelchair athletes. In the men's event 1A, only three runners started the race: Heinrich Koeberle from West Germany, his compatriot H. Lobbering (full name not recorded), and Rainer Kueschall of Switzerland. Only Koeberle reached the finish line.[10] In women's event 5, there were only two competitors, both from Mexico. Both reached the finish line.[11]

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon 1A
details
Heinrich Koeberle
  West Germany
Marathon 1B
details
J. Matsson
  Sweden
Peter Schmid
  Switzerland
Ronan Rooney
  Ireland
Marathon 1C
details
Alan Dufty
  Australia
D. Wallen
  United States
Eduardo Monsalvo
  Mexico
Marathon 2
details
Heinz Frei
  Switzerland
Paul Clark
  Canada
Graham Condon
  New Zealand
Marathon 3
details
André Viger
  Canada
Gregor Golombek
  West Germany
R. Sampson
  Canada
Marathon 4
details
Rick Hansen
  Canada
Jean Francois Poitevin
  France
R. Minor
  Canada
Marathon 5
details
Mel Fitzgerald
  Canada
B. Hedrick
  United States
Tom Foran
  United States

Women's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon 2
details
J. Schiff
  United States
Patricia Hill
  New Zealand
Dora Garcia
  Mexico
Marathon 3
details
G. Beyer
  West Germany
Julie Russell
  Australia
D. Smith
  Great Britain
Marathon 4
details
J. Randles
  Australia
Kay McShane
  Ireland
S. Norman
  United States
Marathon 5
details
Juana Soto
  Mexico
E. Belmont
  Mexico

1988

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The number of events at the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul was expanded to eleven for men, but restricted to three for women (with category 5 being closed).

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon 1A
details
Heinrich Koeberle
  West Germany
Rainer Kueschall
  Switzerland
Bart Dodson
  United States
Marathon 1B
details
Serge Raymond
  Canada
Jan-Owe Mattsson
  Sweden
Clayton Gerein
  Canada
Marathon 1C
details
John Brewer
  United States
Alan Dufty
  Australia
Johann Kastner
  West Germany
Marathon 2
details
Marc Quessy
  Canada
Paul Clark
  Canada
Michael Trujillo
  United States
Marathon 3
details
André Viger
  Canada
Urs Scheidegger
  Switzerland
Phil Carpenter
  United States
Marathon 4
details
Jean Francois Poitevin
  France
Farid Amarouche
  France
Rafael Ibarra
  United States
Marathon 5-6
details
Jonathon Puffenberger
  United States
Tom Foran
  United States
Georg Schrattenecker
  Austria
Marathon A1–3/A9/L1–2
details
Mustapha Badid
  France
Philippe Couprie
  France
Ted Vince
  Canada
Marathon B1
details
Joerund Gaasemyr
  Norway
David Jakubovich
  Israel
Carlos Roberto Sestrem
  Brazil
Marathon B2
details
Stephen Brunt
  Great Britain
Paul Collet
  France
David Mills
  New Zealand
Marathon B3
details
Carlos Talbott
  United States
Mark Farnell
  Great Britain
Wieslaw Miech
  Poland

Women's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon 2
details
Tami Oothoudt
  United States
Ann Walters
  United States
Patricia Hill
  New Zealand
Marathon 3
details
Candace Cable-Brooks
  United States
Sherry Ann Ramsey
  United States
Itsuko Maeda
  Japan
Marathon 4
details
Connie Hansen
  Denmark
Tracy Miller
  United States
Kay McShane
  Ireland

1992

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At the 1992 Games in Barcelona, the number of events for men was cut to six: three for wheelchair athletes, and three for visually impaired athletes. The number of events for women was further reduced, down to one, for wheelchair athletes.

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon B1
details
Carlo Durante
  Italy
Tofiri Kibuuka
  Norway
Steve Brooks
  Canada
Marathon B2
details
Stephen Brunt
  Great Britain
José Ortiz
  Spain
Paul Collet
  France
Marathon B3
details
Mark Farnell
  Great Britain
Anton Sluka
  Czechoslovakia
Timo Pulkkinen
  Finland
Marathon TW1
details
Heinrich Koeberle
  Germany
Rainer Kueschall
  Switzerland
Giuseppe Forni
  Switzerland
Marathon TW2
details
Clayton Gerein
  Canada
Christoph Etzlstorfer
  Austria
Greg Smith
  Australia
Marathon TW3–4
details
Heinz Frei
  Switzerland
Claude Issorat
  France
Jeddie Schabort
  South Africa

Women's event

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon TW3–4
details
Connie Hansen
  Denmark
Jennette Jansen
  Netherlands
Lily Anggreny
  Germany

1996

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At the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, the current categorisation system was introduced. Seven events were held for men, and one for women.

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T10
details
Harumi Yanagawa
  Japan
Carlo Durante
  Italy
Nicolas Ledezma
  Mexico
Marathon T11
details
Waldemar Kikolski
  Poland
Tomasz Chmurzynski
  Poland
Francisco Perez
  Spain
Marathon T12
details
Anton Sluka
  Slovakia
Mark Farnell
  Great Britain
J. Onofre da Costa
  Portugal
Marathon T42–46
details
Javier Conde
  Spain
Joseba Larrinaga
  Spain
Mark Brown
  Great Britain
Marathon T50
details
Heinrich Koeberle
  Germany
Bart Dodson
  United States
Tim Johansson
  Sweden
Marathon T51
details
Brent McMahon
  Canada
Clayton Gerein
  Canada
Patrick Cottini
  United States
Marathon T52–53
details
Franz Nietlispach
  Switzerland
Kazuya Murozuka
  Japan
Heinz Frei
  Switzerland

Women's event

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T52–53
details
Jean Driscoll
  United States
Kazu Hatanaka
  Japan
Deanna Sodoma
  United States

2000

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The same number of events (seven for men, one for women) were maintained at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T11
details
Carlos Amaral Ferreira
  Portugal
Robert Matthews
  Great Britain
Carlo Durante
  Italy
Marathon T12
details
Waldemar Kikolski
  Poland
Stephen Brunt
  Great Britain
Moises Beristain
  Mexico
Marathon T13
details
Ildar Pomykalov
  Russia
Anton Sluka
  Slovakia
Roy Daniell
  Australia
Marathon T46
details
Javier Conde
  Spain
Mark Brown
  Great Britain
Michael Keohane
  United States
Marathon T51
details
Alvise de Vidi
  Italy
Heinrich Koeberle
  Germany
Thorsten Oppold
  Germany
Marathon T52
details
Clayton Gerein
  Canada
Christoph Etzlstorfer
  Austria
Thomas Geierspichler
  Austria
Marathon T54
details
Franz Nietlispach
  Switzerland
Krige Schabort
  South Africa
Heinz Frei
  Switzerland

Women's event

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T54
details
Jean Driscoll
  United States
Kazu Hatanaka
  Japan
Wakako Tsuchida
  Japan

2004

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At the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, the number of events for men was reduced to five (one for totally blind athletes, one for visually impaired athletes, and three for wheelchair athletes), while a single wheelchair event was maintained for women.

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T11
details
Yuichi Takahashi
  Japan
Carlos Ferreira
  Portugal
Andrea Cionna
  Italy
Marathon T13
details
Ildar Pomykalov
  Russia
Roy Daniell
  Australia
Linas Balsys
  Lithuania
Marathon T51
details
Alvise De Vidi
  Italy
Stefan Strobel
  Germany
Edgar Navarro
  Mexico
Marathon T52
details
Toshihiro Takada
  Japan
Thomas Geierspichler
  Austria
Clayton Gerein
  Canada
Marathon T54
details
Kurt Fearnley
  Australia
Kelly Smith
  Canada
Tomasz Hamerlak
  Poland

Women's event

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T54
details
Kazu Hatanaka
  Japan
Wakako Tsuchida
  Japan
Cheri Blauwet
  United States

2008

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At the 2008 Games in Beijing, the number of events for men was again reduced, down to four (one for visually impaired athletes, one for upper limb amputees, two for wheelchair athletes), while a single women's wheelchair event was maintained.

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T12
details
Qi Shun
  China
Elkin Serna
  Colombia
Ildar Pomykalov
  Russia
Marathon T46
details
Mario Santillan
  Mexico
Tito Sena
  Brazil
Walter Endrizzi
  Italy
Marathon T52
details
Thomas Geierspichler
  Austria
Hirokazu Ueyonabaru
  Japan
Toshihiro Takada
  Japan
Marathon T54
details
Kurt Fearnley
  Australia
Hiroki Sasahara
  Japan
Ernst van Dyk
  South Africa

Women's event

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T54
details
Edith Hunkeler
  Switzerland
Amanda McGrory
  United States
Sandra Graf
  Switzerland

2012

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At the 2012 Games in London, the number of events for men was once more reduced, down to three (one for visually impaired athletes, one for upper limb amputees, one for wheelchair athletes), while a single women's wheelchair event was maintained.

Men's events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T12
details
Alberto Suarez Laso
  Spain
Elkin Serna
  Colombia
Abderrahim Zhiou
  Tunisia
Marathon T46
details
Tito Sena
  Brazil
Abderrahman Khamouch
  Spain
Frederic Van den Heede
  Belgium
Marathon T54
details
David Weir
  Great Britain
Marcel Hug
  Switzerland
Kurt Fearnley
  Australia

Women's event

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Marathon T54
details
Shirley Reilly
  United States
Shelly Woods
  Great Britain
Sandra Graf
  Switzerland

2016

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In Rio de Janeiro, Three men's marathons and two women's marathons were contested on 18 September 2016.

2020

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The 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the marathon events held on 5 September 2021. The men's marathon was held in the T12, T46, and T54 classifications, and the women's marathon in T12 and T54.

2024

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Four marathon events, T12 and T54 for both men and women, were contested on 8 September 2024 in Paris.

Medal table

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RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  United States (USA)981027
2  Canada (CAN)94619
3  Switzerland (SUI)55515
4  Germany (GER)53311
5  Japan (JPN)46313
6  Great Britain (GBR)46212
7  Australia (AUS)43310
8  Spain (ESP)3317
9  Italy (ITA)3137
10  France (FRA)2518
11  Denmark (DEN)2406
12  Mexico (MEX)2158
13  Poland (POL)2125
14  Russia (RUS)2013
15  Austria (AUT)1326
16  Brazil (BRA)1113
  Portugal (POR)1113
  Sweden (SWE)1113
19  Norway (NOR)1102
  Slovakia (SVK)1102
21  China (CHN)1001
22  Colombia (COL)0202
23  New Zealand (NZL)0134
24  Ireland (IRL)0123
  South Africa (RSA)0123
26  Czechoslovakia (TCH)0101
  Israel (ISR)0101
  Netherlands (NED)0101
29  Belgium (BEL)0011
  Finland (FIN)0011
  Lithuania (LTU)0011
  Tunisia (TUN)0011
Totals (32 entries)636661190

Notes

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