T46 (classification)
[3] Jane Buckley, writing for the Sporting Wheelies, describes the athletes in this classification as: "Single above elbow/Single below elbow amputation or similar disability.
"[1] The Australian Paralympic Committee defines this classification as being for athletes who have the "Single arm, above or below elbow amputation.
"[4] After the introduction of the T47 classification in 2013, the International Paralympic Committee redefined T46 as being for athletes who: "...have a unilateral upper limb impairment that affects the shoulder and/or elbow joint of one arm and which is comparable to the activity limitations in running and jumps roughly comparable to that found in an athlete with a unilateral above elbow amputation.
Common problems for intact upper limbs for people in this class include rotator cuffs tearing, shoulder impingement, epicondylitis and peripheral nerve entrapment.
[12] A study of was done comparing the performance of athletics competitors at the 1984 Summer Paralympics when the ISOD classification system was in use.
[8][14] In general, Les Autres classes cover sportspeople with locomotor disabilities regardless of their diagnosis.
[23] For the 1984 Summer Paralympics, LAF4 sportspeople were described by the Games organizers as "ambulant, with or without crutches and/or braces.
[8][28] It is an ambulant class for people with minimal issues with trunk and lower limb functionality.
[29] People with arm amputations in this class can have elevated padded blocks to place their stumps on for the start of the race.
[29] In throwing events, implement weights are as follows: The classification was created by the International Paralympic Committee and has roots in a 2003 attempt to address "the overall objective to support and co-ordinate the ongoing development of accurate, reliable, consistent and credible sport focused classification systems and their implementation.
This policy was put into place in 2014, with the goal of avoiding last minute changes in classes that would negatively impact athlete training preparations.
All competitors needed to be internationally classified with their classification status confirmed prior to the Games, with exceptions to this policy being dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
[33][34] The classification system takes several things into account when putting people into this class.
[7] Sometimes the health examination may not be done on site because the nature of the amputation could cause not physically visible alterations to the body.
[37] During the training portion of classification, observation may include being asked to demonstrate their skills in athletics, such as running, jumping or throwing.
[38] Notable athletes in this class include T46 world record holders Dinesh Priyantha (SRI), Heath Francis (AUS), Gunther Matzinger (AUT) and Yunidis Castillo (CUB).
[40] Simon Patmore (AUS) and South African sprinter Zivan Smith[41] also run in this class.
[citation needed] Madeleine Hogan (AUS) is a field competitor in this class, winner of the F46 javelin event at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships.
