The basics
There are four medals on offer in the Paralympic Marathon:
Men’s T12 – athletes with a visual impairment
Men’s T46 – athletes with a loss of limb or limb deficiency
Men’s and women’s T54 – wheelchair racers
Athletes complete a first loop of just 2.2 miles, which takes them to the river Thames, south to the Houses of Parliament, and back up to the Mall past Buckingham Palace. After this they run back to the river, and this time head east, towards the City of London and beyond to the Tower of London in an eight mile loop that is repeated three times before crossing the finishing line.
Competition format
The Paralympic Marathon is a straight final – the first athlete in each class to cross the finish line is the winner.
For more information, please go to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) website.