Athletics at the 2000 Summer Paralympics comprised a total of 234 events, 165 for men and 69 for women.
Athletes were classified according to the extent and type of their disability.
Class numbers were preceded by a "T" for track events, an "F" for field events, and a "P" for the pentathlon.
Lower respective class numbers corresponded to more severe disability.
An exception to this classification scheme arose for athletes with severe cerebral palsy competing in field events; there were no F32 events, so athletes from this category instead competed in class F51 against athletes with spinal cord disabilities.