Competition at the Highest Levels

Paralympic athletes compete individually and in teams, in sports that range from judo, with its deep concentration and lightning reflexes, to wheelchair rugby, sometimes called "murderball" for its intense physical play. Here are the sports that American athletes will take part in at the London Paralympic Games: rules, top competitors, fun facts.

Archery

Archery was the very first Paralympic sport, played in the earliest games at Stoke Mandeville in 1948, and it has been a medal sport since ... More »

Boccia

Boccia – pronounced “BAH cha” – originated in Greece and Italy, and closely resembles the Italian game bocce. It made its Paralympic debut in the 1984 Games ... More »

Cycling

High speeds, long distances, relentless competition. In Paralympic cycling, athletes race the clock or each other -- and they race to win. Cycling is open to ... More »

Equestrian

Paralympic equestrian became a medal sport at the 1996 Atlanta Games. The rider and the horse are both considered athletes, working together to display a ... More »

Fencing

In Paralympic fencing, athletes compete in wheelchairs fastened to the floor. They duck, half-turn, and lean to avoid their opponent’s touches, but they cannot ... More »

Goalball

Goalball was invented in 1946 to help rehabilitate blind veterans from World War II. It’s one of the most competitive sports for blind and ... More »

Judo

Although judo is an ancient martial art, it was first introduced to the Paralympic Games in 1988 for men and in 2004 for women. Judo ... More »

Powerlifting

Powerlifting is an intense, muscle-heavy sport, where athletes can lift more than three times their own weight. It became part of the second Paralympics in ... More »

Rowing

Rowing had its Paralympic debut at Beijing in 2008, making it the youngest sport in the Games. The 2012 rowing will take place on a ... More »

Sailing

Paralympic sailing is a series of tough races on high, sometimes turbulent seas. It was first introduced to the Paralympics in 1996 as a demonstration ... More »

Shooting

Target shooting is popular worldwide and made its first Paralympics appearance at the 1976 Games. Paralympic shooters use exactly the same rifles, pistols, targets, ranges ... More »

Sitting Volleyball

Paralympic volleyball follows the same rules as standing volleyball, with a few modifications for the “grounded” athletes. The game is played with a six-person team ... More »

Soccer 7-a-side

Paralympic Soccer, like able-bodied soccer, is a fast, highly-skilled game. Called “Football 7-a-side” in international play, the sport made its Paralympic debut in 1984 and ... More »

Swimming

Paralympic swimming, like track and field, has dozens of events. Freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke swimmers knife through the water -- completely unaided by any prostheses ... More »

Table Tennis

Athletes from over 100 countries compete in table tennis, one of the most popular Paralympic sports. It was introduced in the first Paralympic Games in ... More »

Track and Field

The most complicated of all the competition categories, track and field – called “Athletics” internationally – is actually multiple sports: sprints, relay races, long jumps, javelin throws ... More »

Wheelchair Basketball

Wheelchair basketball is one of the biggest draws at the Paralympic Games. The game is played five-on-five, on standard-sized courts with standard, 10-foot hoops. The ... More »

Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair or “quad” rugby is an aggressive, full-contact sport that often lives up to its nickname: murderball. It’s one of the roughest, most competitive ... More »

Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair tennis was created in 1976 by American Brad Parks. Parks didn’t just invent wheelchair tennis -- he also won gold the first year tennis ... More »

26

Days to Opening Ceremony in London

More From PBS

  • Presented in the United States under agreement with the United States Olympic Committee and the International Paralympics Committee.

  • Produced for PBS by

  • Major funding provided by

  • Additional funding provided by

    Gordon & Llura Gund Foundation