Swimming Australia through multi class swimming provides meaningful competition for swimmers with a disability.  Swimming is the only sport that combines physical disabilities together in a certain classifications which is determined by the athlete’s classification test as follows;

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Cerebral palsy athletes will compete against athletes with spinal cord injury (weakness or paralysis involving any combination of the limbs) and other disabilities (such as dwarfism and major joint restriction conditions) across classes.

The classifications 1-10 are allocated to swimmers with a physical impairment. The lower the number, the more severe the impairment. Swimmers could have different classifications for different strokes depending on their range of movement. For example, S is used for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. SB is for breaststroke, and SM is the individual medley.

For example a common classification for cerebral plsy hemiplegic swimmers is S8 or SB8.

To find out more about classification or to get classified in swimming, click on the Classified Portal and follow the instructions:

 

Classification Portal

Step 1 – If you haven’t been classified before answer ‘No’ to the question Do you have an eligible swimming classification?

Step 2 – Click on Physical Impairment to learn more then click ‘Get Classified’ then ‘Start’.
 

Note - Complete this form to find out if you might be eligible for a swimming classification and get all the information you need to get classified. Please note the content of this form is for informational purposes only. You will not be allocated a swimming classification by completing this form. Answer the questions that best describe your impairment.

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