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Sighted guide facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A sighted guide is a person who helps someone with blindness or low vision to move around safely. They act as the eyes for the person they are guiding, especially in sports or unfamiliar places.

Sighted Guides in Sports

Sighted guides are super important in sports, especially for athletes with visual impairments. They help athletes compete fairly and safely.

Paralympic Games

Pascal Schoots Jan Mulder I
Pilot Pascal Schoots (left) and Jan Mulder (right) won silver medals in cycling at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens.

At the Paralympic Games, athletes with visual impairments are grouped into different categories. This makes sure competitions are fair.

The rules for these sports come from organizations like the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

Sighted guides are so important that they are considered part of the team. Both the athlete and the guide can win medals together!

Winter Paralympics

At the Winter Paralympics, there are three main groups for athletes with visual impairments:

  • B1: These athletes have very little or no useful vision.
  • B2: These athletes have some useful vision, but it's still quite limited.
  • B3: These athletes have more useful vision than B1 or B2, but still have an impairment.

A sighted guide is a must-have for B1 and B2 athletes. For B3 athletes, having a guide is optional.

Nordic Skiing: In Nordic skiing, the guide can ski in front of, behind, or next to the athlete. The guide helps by giving voice commands only. No physical contact is allowed during the race.

Alpine Skiing: In Alpine skiing, the starting area needs to be big enough for both the athlete and their guide. This sport includes different races like:

  • Combined
  • Downhill
  • Giant slalom
  • Slalom
  • Super-G

Summer Paralympics

Meeting d'Athlétisme Paralympique de Paris - Timothée Adolphe & Cédric Felip 07
Timothée Adolphe and his sighted guide Cédric Felip competing in athletics.

Athletics: In athletics, sighted guides are so important that they can also win medals alongside the athlete.

Cycling: In cycling, the guide is often called a "pilot" and rides on a tandem bike with the visually impaired athlete.

Equestrian: In equestrian sports, guides help athletes navigate the course.

Football 5-a-side: This is a special version of football for visually impaired athletes. Guides help direct players.

Triathlon: In triathlon, guides help athletes through the swimming, cycling, and running parts of the race.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Guía vidente para niños

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