Ryan Murphy presented to Claire Furlong on the Road to Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The presentation outlined Britain's goal of maintaining a top 3 position at Rio 2016 and achieving 13 gold medals. It described the aims and pathways of the Paralympic programme, including talent identification, regional and national support for athletes, and links to partners like UK Sport. Key staff on the Paralympic team and the classification process in Para Athletics were also summarized.

1. Presentation prepared by: Ryan Murphy
Presentation to: Claire Furlong
Date: XX/XX/XX
The Road To Rio 2016

2. “Our mission is to maintain our
position as a top 3 nation at the
next Paralympic Games in Rio
2016 and IPC World
Championships in 2017 and
achieve our UK Sport target of 13
Golds”

3. Aims of the Programme
• To create a sustainable, integrated, transparent and robust pathway for Para
athletes
• World Class talent identification and recruitment processes with suitable exit
pathways
• To ensure that all Para athletes have local as well as national support if and
when required in terms of coaching and competition
• Maintain and develop strong links with the voluntary club and coaching
community – 90% of funded athletes coached by the voluntary sector
• Maintain and strengthen links with the home countries
• Utilise and continue to develop our relationship with our key partners, i.e UK
Sport talent team, EIS,WIS,SIS,NIA

4. The Team –
Paula Dunn – Head Coach
Maria Adey – Paralympic Project Leader
Laura Penhaul - Paralympic Lead Physiotherapist
Jenni Banks – BA Wheelchair Coach
Katie Jones – Futures and Talent Manager
Job King – Parallel Success Coordinator
Shelley Holroyd – Parallel Success Coordinator
Jan Richards - Administrator

5. Para Athletics Pathway
Parallel Success
Sainsbury Para Athletics Introduction Days-new
& existing athletes – entry point for
classification
EVENT ACADEMIES-commences
in 2014 – 3 camps to retain
talent in the sport. Athletes selected from
Clubs/PAI Days/P10/nomination
UKS/BPA Talent Projects – Girls4Gold,
Frontline to Startline and SportsFest
Talent Development Squad – Invitation
Top 25 across all events will be selected
BA Futures Programme – Selected.
5 – 7 of our most promising non funded
Athletes.
C L A S S I F I C A T I O N
WORLD CLASS
PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME

6. What is Para Athletics?
• It is primarily just athletics!
• Classification is the key difference and is necessary to ensure fair competition
for all involved
• Within athletics there are classification groups. Each group is subdivided into
classes depending on the level of impairment.
• The following groups are currently included in the Paralympic Pathway
• T – Track
• F – Field
• T/F 11-13 Athletes with a Visual Impairment
• T/F 31-38 Athletes with Cerebral Palsy
• T/F 40-46 Amputee & Dwarfs
• T 51-54 Wheelchair Racers
• F 51-58 Seated Field Athletes
• The classification process identifies the athletes’ functional ability in relation
to the event group in which they are competing. The athlete undergoes a
series of mobility tests and is seen in competition by IPC (International
Paralympic Committee) qualified classifiers.

7. The Growth of Para Athletics
• Sydney Games – 125 countries participated
• London Games – 164 countries participated
• 75 Countries participated in the T&F programme
• 52 countries won medal
• It is now a global sport

8. One Sport....
• Integration via the club/coach voluntary system is the key for the
continued growth and development of Para athletics – 90% of all
funded athletes coached by VOLUNTEERS
• BA employed coaches coaching integrated groups –
• Rana Reider – Shara Proctor – Olympic LJ finalist /Stef Reid
Paralympic Silver medallist
• Steve Fudge – James Dasaolu – WC 100m finalist/ Jonnie Peacock
Paralympic 100m Gold medallist
• Lloyd Cowans – Christine Ohuruogu – Olympic 400m Gold/Silver
medallist/ Ola Abidogun 100m Paralympic Bronze medallist
• Fuzz Ahmed – Robbie Grabarz – Olympic HJ bronze medallist/
Jonathan Broom-Edwards HJ WC Silver medallist
It can and does work!

9. UKS Talent Team & BA Publicity

10. Jonathan Broom-Edwards & Sophie Hahn– PAI athlete to WC
medallist to WCPP membership

11. World Class Elite Athletes ...

12. For further information please contact:
British Athletics, Athletics House, Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2BE
www.britishathletics.org.uk