C4 is a para-cycling classification. It includes people with lower limb impairments or issues with lower limb functionality. Disability groups covered by this classification include people with cerebral palsy, amputations and other lower limb impairments. The responsibility for this classification passed from the IPC to the UCI in September 2006.

Definition edit

PBS defined this classification as "Cyclists with upper or lower limb impairments and low-level neurological impairment."[1] The Telegraph defined this classification in 2011 as "C 1–5: Athletes with cerebral palsy, limb impairments and amputations."[2] The UCI recommends this be coded as MC4 or WC4.[3]

Disability groups edit

 
The spasticity athetosis level and location of a CP7 sportsperson.

One of the disability groups in this class is people with cerebral palsy from the CP7 and CP8 classes.[4][5] CP7 sportspeople are able to walk, but appear to do so while having a limp as one side of their body is more affected than the other.[6][7][8][9] They may have involuntary muscles spasms on one side of their body.[8][9] They have fine motor control on their dominant side of the body, which can present as asymmetry when they are in motion.[8][10] People in this class tend to have energy expenditure similar to people without cerebral palsy.[11]

CP8 competitors must have cerebral palsy to such an extent that it impacts their sporting performance against able-bodied competitors to be eligible for this class.[12][13] This is general manifested as spasticity in at least one limb.[13][9] They are able to freely engage in a number of sport related motions including jumping. They also tend to have good balance and have minimal issues with coordination.[6][14][13] People in this class tend to have energy expenditure similar to people without cerebral palsy.[11]

Classification history edit

Cycling first became a Paralympic sport at the 1988 Summer Paralympics.[15] In September 2006, governance for para-cycling passed from the International Paralympic Committee's International Cycling Committee to UCI at a meeting in Switzerland. When this happened, the responsibility of classifying the sport also changed.[16]

Historical world records edit

Below are some historical world records for this classification in the 200m men's Indoor track / Flying start.[17]

Time Cyclist Country Classification Date and location Country location Reference
10"998 Cundy Jody GBR C 4 Bicycle 22 May 2009, Manchester GBR [17][failed verification]
10"805 Cundy Jody GBR C 4 Bicycle 1 October 2011, Manchester[specify] GBR [17][failed verification]

At the Paralympic Games edit

For the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, the International Paralympic Committee had a zero classification at the Games policy. This policy was put into place in 2014, with the goal of avoiding last minute changes in classes that would negatively impact athlete training preparations. All competitors needed to be internationally classified with their classification status confirmed prior to the Games, with exceptions to this policy being dealt with on a case-by-case basis.[18]

Rankings edit

This classification has UCI rankings for elite competitors.[19]

Competitors edit

Competitors in this classification include Australia's Tyson Lawrence[20] and Britain's Jody Cundy.[21]

In 2016, Bahman Golbarnezhad died while competing.

Becoming classified edit

Classification is handled by Union Cycliste Internationale.[22] Classification for the UCI Para-Cycling World Championships is completed by at least two classification panels. Members of the classification panel must not have a relationship with the cyclist and must not be involved in the World Championships in any other role than as classifier.[23] In national competitions, the classification is handled by the national cycling federation.[23] Classification often has three components: physical, technical and observation assessment.[23]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Competition at the Highest Levels, Cycling". Cycling. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  2. ^ "London 2012 Paralympics: Road cycling guide". London: The Telegraph. 2011. Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  3. ^ "UCI Para-cycling Classification Guide". UCI. 17 April 2012. p. 4.
  4. ^ "Classification Profiles" (PDF). Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association. Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Clasificaciones de Ciclismo" (PDF). Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte (in Mexican Spanish). Mexico: Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte. Retrieved 23 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b "CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY". Queensland Sport. Queensland Sport. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  7. ^ "Classification Made Easy" (PDF). Sportability British Columbia. Sportability British Columbia. July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  8. ^ a b c "Clasificaciones de Ciclismo" (PDF). Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte (in Mexican Spanish). Mexico: Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte. Retrieved 23 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ a b c "Kategorie postižení handicapovaných sportovců". Tyden (in Czech). 12 September 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  10. ^ Cashman, Richmard; Darcy, Simon (1 January 2008). Benchmark Games. Benchmark Games. ISBN 9781876718053.
  11. ^ a b Broad, Elizabeth (6 February 2014). Sports Nutrition for Paralympic Athletes. CRC Press. ISBN 9781466507562.
  12. ^ "Classification Profiles" (PDF). Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association. Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  13. ^ a b c "Clasificaciones de Ciclismo" (PDF). Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte (in Mexican Spanish). Mexico: Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte. Retrieved 23 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Classification Made Easy" (PDF). Sportability British Columbia. Sportability British Columbia. July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Cycling". Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Para-cycling High Performance". Australia: Cycling Australia. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  17. ^ a b c "Para-Cycling Track World Records Historical". UCI. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  18. ^ "Rio 2016 Classification Guide" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. March 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Ranking – PARA – Cycling 2012". Union Cycliste Internationale. June 2012. Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  20. ^ "Tyson Lawrence | APC Corporate". Paralympic.org.au. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  21. ^ Osborne, Chris (4 October 2014). "Jody Cundy lets go of 'Commonwealth dream'". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  22. ^ "Guide to the Paralympic Games – Appendix 1" (PDF). London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 2011. p. 42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  23. ^ a b c "UCI Para-cycling Classification Guide". UCI. 17 April 2012. p. 5.