Paralympic arsenal - a comprehensive review of sports wheelchairs (Part 2)

3. The most standardized - wheelchair basketball wheelchair

The reason why the wheelchair for wheelchair basketball is the most standardized wheelchair is that it is the first wheelchair to have a national standard among the many wheelchairs participating in the Paralympic Games. According to the standard, a wheelchair for wheelchair basketball consists of at least 3 wheels, with two large wheels at the back and 1 or 2 small wheels at the front. Athletes with strong mobility may add 1-2 more wheels at the back to enable them to maximize their range of motion during the game. The overall height of the wheelchair cannot exceed 53 cm, the maximum diameter of the large wheel is 69 cm, and each wheel must have a hand brake wheel, and no other devices are allowed. There are protective bars on the front and sides of the wheelchair to ensure the safety of athletes in fierce confrontations; at the same time, in addition to the two large wheels at the back that are in an eight-shaped shape to maintain stability, there is also an anti-tilt device on the back of the wheelchair, which is also an important guarantee for athletes to rarely "turn over" in mechanical competitions. The armrests and other accessories on the wheelchair cannot exceed the position of the legs and torso of the players in their natural posture. Wheelchairs for athletes with different disability levels have different requirements (height of the seat cushion and backrest, etc.).

4. The most unique - racing wheelchair

The racing wheelchair is the most unique wheelchair. In addition to the two large rear wheels, the front end of the racing wheelchair also has a smaller wheel that extends far out, making the entire wheelchair look more like a three-wheeled bicycle. According to regulations, the maximum diameter of the large wheel shall not exceed 70 cm, the maximum diameter of the small wheel shall not exceed 50 cm, and the height of the racing wheelchair shall not exceed 50 cm. The rear two wheels of the racing wheelchair are in an eight-shaped shape, with a camber angle of 10 to 15 degrees to ensure stability. In addition, the racing wheelchair is not allowed to have any mechanical devices or levers for driving the wheelchair, and can only be driven by the athlete driving the wheel or turning the crank. In the past, the racing wheelchairs used by athletes were mainly made of aluminum, but now more and more are beginning to use carbon fiber materials to make them lighter and more stable overall.