Wheelchair racing is the racing of wheelchairs in track and road races. Wheelchair racing is open to athletes with any qualifying type of disability, including leg amputees, spinal cord injuries, and cerebral palsy. Athletes are classified in accordance with the nature and severity of their disability or combinations of disabilities. Like running, it can take place on a track or as a road race. The main competitions take place at the Summer Paralympics which wheelchair racing and athletics has been a part of since 1960. Competitors compete in specialized wheelchairs which allow the athletes to reach speeds of 30 km/h (18.6 mph) or more. It is one of the most prominent forms of Paralympic athletics.
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In this Dossier
Wheelchair race in the context of 2005 London Marathon
The 2005 London Marathon was the 25th running of the annual marathon race in London, United Kingdom, which took place on Sunday, 17 April. The elite men's race was won by Kenya's Martin Lel in a time of 2:07:26 hours and the women's race was won by home athlete Paula Radcliffe in 2:17:42.
In the wheelchair races, Mexico's Saúl Mendoza (1:35:51) and Italy's Francesca Porcellato (1:57:00) won the men's and women's divisions, respectively.
Wheelchair race in the context of London Marathon
The London Marathon (also known as the TCS London Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon held in London, England. Founded by athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley in 1981, it is typically held in April, although it moved to October for 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The largely flat course is set around the River Thames, starting in Blackheath and finishing at The Mall. Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) is the current race director and Nick Bitel its chief executive.
The race has several components: it has a mass race for the public, professional races for men and women long-distance runners, elite-level wheelchair races for men and women, and a 3-mile mini marathon event for under-17 athletes. There is a significant charity running aspect to the marathon, with participants helping to raise over £1 billion since its founding, including £67 million at the 2024 London Marathon which was the highest amount for a single-day fund-raising event.