Type of amputation for an A8 classified sportsperson.
ISOD A4 sportspeople are eligible for this class.[2] Shank length for people in this class is not uniform, with competitors having different lengths of leg found below their knee.[2] People in this class use a prosthetic limb when competing in athletics. It has three parts: a socket, a shank and a foot.[3] People in this class can use standard starting blocks because their amputation generally allows for the use of a standard starting position.[3] Use of a specially made carbon fibre running prosthetic leg assists runners in this class in lowering their heart rate compared to using a prosthetic not designed for running.[4] Runners in this class can have lower metabolic costs compared to elite runners over middle and long distances.[4]
Inside the class, shank length does not impact the distance that male long jumpers can jump.[2]
Getting classified
Classification generally has four phase. The first stage of classification is a health examination. For amputees in this class, this is often done on site at a sports training facility or competition. The second stage is observation in practice, the third stage is observation in competition and the last stage is assigning the sportsperson to a relevant class.[5] Sometimes the health examination may not be done on site for amputees in this class because the nature of the amputation could cause not physically visible alterations to the body.[6]
References
^Consejo Superior de Deportes (2011). Deportistas sin Adjectivos(PDF) (in European Spanish). Spain: Consejo Superior de Deportes.
![[icon]](File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}
