Belgium at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Belgium at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
IPC code	BEL
NPC	Belgian Paralympic Committee
Website	www.paralympic.be
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors	29 in 6 sports
Medals Ranked 25th	Gold Silver Bronze Total 5 3 3 11
Summer Paralympics appearances
1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

Belgium is scheduled to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016.

Disability classifications

Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.^[1][2] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities, other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.^[3]

Boccia

Belgium qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in this sport at the Guilford hosted 2015 Boccia European Team And Pairs Championships, London in the BC3 Pair event. They claimed gold ahead of silver medalist Greece and bronze medalists Spain. They scored 7 - 1 against Spain in the gold medal match.^[4][5]

Cycling

With one pathway for qualification being one highest ranked NPCs on the UCI Para-Cycling male and female Nations Ranking Lists on 31 December 2014, Belgium qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, assuming they continued to meet all other eligibility requirements.^[6][7]

Equestrian

The country qualified to participate in the team event at the Rio Games.^[8]

Wheelchair tennis

Belgium qualified two competitors in the men's single event. Joachim Gerard qualified via the standard route. Mike Denayer qualified via a Doubles World Ranking Allocation place.^[9]

See also

• Belgium at the 2016 Summer Olympics

References

1. "Paralympics categories explained". ABC. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
2. "Making sense of the categories". BBC Sport. 6 October 2000. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
3. "A-Z of Paralympic classification". BBC Sport. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
4. "Boccia Qualification System" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee. 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
5. "2015 Boccia European Team And Pairs Championships, London" (PDF). BisFed. 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
6. "CYCLING QUALIFICATION" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee. 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
7. "Ranking — PARA — Cycling 2014". UCI. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
8. "EQUESTRIAN" (PDF). FEI. International Paralympic Committee. August 24, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
9. "ITF announces singles entries for Rio 2016 Paralympics". ITF Tennis. ITF Tennis. June 24, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2016.