Para swimming was one of the eight original sports that featured at the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960 and has since grown to become one of the largest and most popular sports on the Para sport calendar. With only 15 countries and 77 participants competing in Swimming at the Paralympic Games in 1960, the sport has seen massive growth and at the London 2012 Paralympic Games comprised of 74 countries and 604 participants in the Swimming event.

During a swimming event, swimmers who are blind are required to have an assistant to help them as they approach the swimming pool end wall, either to make a turn or for the finish of the race. This process is called tapping and performed by a “tapper”. These swimmers are also required to wear blackened goggles in all their events.

Learning to swim

People who lose their vision are at increased risk of experiencing social isolation, anxiety and depression and living sedentary lifestyles. Facilitating participation in local aquatic classes or swimming at the beach/lakes can promote valuable opportunities to improve physical fitness, mental health and overall well-being.

How to Include Swimmers with Vision Loss: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide is designed to help aquatic sport and recreation providers, including facility staff, swimming teachers, coaches, school teachers, and volunteers, to effectively include individuals with vision loss in swimming activities.
Below is a simple how to video

Classification

S11 = athletes have a very low visual acuity and/or no light perception. All athletes must wear blackened goggles in competition and have a tapper.

S12 = athletes have a higher visual acuity than athletes competing in the S11 class and/or a visual field of less than 5 degrees radius. They may choose to use a tapper.

S13 = athletes have the least severe vision impairment eligible in Paralympic sport. They have the highest visual acuity and/or visual field of less than 20 degrees radius. They may choose to use a tapper.

For more information about different classifications and their pathways (physical, intellectual etc - https://www.swimmingnz.org/post/para-swimming

Pathways and funding

-          The Disability Swimming Fund was designed for individuals with a disability aged 6 - 24 years to open doors to the world of swimming. Whether it be acquiring adaptive equipment or specialised coaching, our aim has been to make swimming accessible for all.

-          Halberg Foundation also funds equipment required, and help with swimming lesson costs, more information on funding section of hub (karen to direct here)

-          CAMPS Blind Sport NZ and Swimming NZ run a winter and summer swim camp each year for ages 7-24 to increase swimmers confidence in the water and create a strong network of swimmers and whanau that want to enhance their swimming skills and journey. We aim to have VI paralympians present along with qualified coaches at each one and it is free including swimmer and 1 x support person (minus travel to get there). Get in touch with admin@blindsport.kiwi for more information

-          Swimming New Zealand regularly hold disability clinics in different regions around the country, for more information: https://www.swimmingnz.org/post/disability-swimming-fund-providing-valuable-support

-          After learn to swim classes, swimmers should be able to participate in a mainstream club and be fully immersed in the club environment, all galas and swim meets have a para category where the swimmers can compete and develop alongside their peers.

Interested in SWIMMING? Contact Cameron Leslie (National Para Swimming Development Coordinator) at cameron@swimming.org.nz or visit the Paralympics New Zealand website.