Wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics facts for kids
Wheelchair basketball is an exciting sport played at the Summer Paralympic Games. It has been a part of the Paralympics since the very first games in 1960, held in Rome.
Winning a gold medal at the Paralympics is the biggest achievement in international wheelchair basketball. After that, the World Championships are also very important. These championships are organized by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) for both men and women.
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Events in Wheelchair Basketball
At the first two Paralympic Games, there were two different men's events. These were called Class A and Class B. Since the 1968 Paralympic Games, there have been two main events. These are a men's team event and a women's team event.
Current Events
- Men's team tournament
- Women's team tournament
How Teams Qualify
For the first few Paralympic Games, from 1960 to 1988, teams did not need to qualify. They could simply enter the competition.
However, since the 1992 Games, teams must qualify to compete. They do this by performing well in World Championships and special regional (zonal) qualification tournaments. This makes sure that only the best teams from around the world get to play.
Paralympic Medal Winners
Here you can see which countries have won medals in wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics since 1960.
Men's Team Medalists
Early Men's Classes (1960-1964)
Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1960 Rome | ![]() United States |
![]() Great Britain |
![]() Israel |
1964 Tokyo | ![]() United States |
![]() Great Britain |
![]() Israel |
Men's Class B Medalists (1960-1964)
Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1960 Rome | ![]() United States |
![]() Netherlands |
![]() Great Britain |
1964 Tokyo | ![]() United States |
![]() Argentina |
![]() Israel |
Men's Team Medalists (1968-Present)
Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1968 Tel Aviv | ![]() Israel |
![]() United States |
![]() Great Britain |
1972 Heidelberg | ![]() United States |
![]() Israel |
![]() Argentina |
1976 Toronto | ![]() United States |
![]() Israel |
![]() France |
1980 Arnhem | ![]() Israel |
![]() Netherlands |
![]() United States |
1984 Stoke Mandeville | ![]() France |
![]() Netherlands |
![]() Sweden |
1988 Seoul | ![]() United States |
![]() Netherlands |
![]() France |
1992 Barcelona | ![]() Netherlands |
![]() Germany |
![]() France |
1996 Atlanta | ![]() Australia |
![]() Great Britain |
![]() United States |
2000 Sydney | ![]() Canada |
![]() Netherlands |
![]() United States |
2004 Athens | ![]() Canada |
![]() Australia |
![]() Great Britain |
2008 Beijing | ![]() Australia |
![]() Canada |
![]() Great Britain |
2012 London | ![]() Canada |
![]() Australia |
![]() United States |
2016 Rio | ![]() United States |
![]() Spain |
![]() Great Britain |
2020 Tokyo | ![]() United States |
![]() Japan |
![]() Great Britain |
2024 Paris |
Women's Team Medalists
Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1968 Tel Aviv | ![]() Israel |
![]() Argentina |
![]() United States |
1972 Heidelberg | ![]() Argentina |
![]() Jamaica |
![]() Israel |
1976 Toronto | ![]() Israel |
![]() West Germany |
![]() Argentina |
1980 Arnhem | ![]() West Germany |
![]() Israel |
![]() United States |
1984 Stoke Mandeville | ![]() West Germany |
![]() Israel |
![]() Japan |
1988 Seoul | ![]() United States |
![]() West Germany |
![]() Netherlands |
1992 Barcelona | ![]() Canada |
![]() United States |
![]() Netherlands |
1996 Atlanta | ![]() Canada |
![]() Netherlands |
![]() United States |
2000 Sydney | ![]() Canada |
![]() Australia |
![]() Japan |
2004 Athens | ![]() United States |
![]() Australia |
![]() Canada |
2008 Beijing | ![]() United States |
![]() Germany |
![]() Australia |
2012 London | ![]() Germany |
![]() Australia |
![]() Netherlands |
2016 Rio | ![]() United States |
![]() Germany |
![]() Netherlands |
2020 Tokyo | ![]() Netherlands |
![]() China |
![]() United States |
Medal Counts by Nation
These tables show how many gold, silver, and bronze medals different countries have won in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics.
Men's Medals (1960–1964)
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
2 | ![]() |
0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
3 | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
5 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Totals (5 entries) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
Men's Medals (1968–2020)
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
5 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
2 | ![]() |
3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
3 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
![]() |
2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
5 | ![]() |
1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
6 | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
7 | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
8 | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
11 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
![]() |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (12 entries) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
Women's Medals (1968–2020)
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
2 | ![]() |
3 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
3 | ![]() |
3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
4 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
5 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
6 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
7 | ![]() |
0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
8 | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
10 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Totals (10 entries) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
Total Medals (1960–2020)
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
13 | 2 | 8 | 23 |
2 | ![]() |
6 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
3 | ![]() |
4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
4 | ![]() |
3 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
5 | ![]() |
2 | 6 | 4 | 12 |
6 | ![]() |
2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
7 | ![]() |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
8 | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
9 | ![]() |
0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
10 | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
11 | ![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
![]() |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
14 | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Totals (14 entries) | 32 | 32 | 32 | 96 |
Participating Nations
Many countries have sent teams to compete in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics. Here's a look at some of the nations that have participated over the years.
Early Men's Competitions (1960–1964)
Men's Class A Nations
Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | ![]() |
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1964 | ![]() |
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Men's Class B Nations
Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | ![]() |
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1964 | ![]() |
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Nations in Later Games (1968–Present)
Men's Teams
Over the years, the number of teams competing in the men's tournament has varied:
- 1968: 13 Teams
- 1972: Division I had 9 Teams, Division II had 10 Teams
- 1976: 21 Teams
- 1980: 17 Teams
- 1984: 18 Teams
- 1988: 17 Teams
- 1992: 12 Teams
- 1996: 12 Teams
- 2000: 12 Teams
- 2004: 12 Teams
- 2008: 12 Teams
- 2012: 12 Teams
- 2016: 12 Teams
- 2020: 12 Teams
- 2024: 8 Teams
Women's Teams
Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | ![]() |
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1976 | ![]() |
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1980 | ![]() |
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1984 | ![]() |
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1988 | ![]() |
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1992 | ![]() |
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1996 | ![]() |
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2000 | ![]() |
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2004 | ![]() |
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2008 | ![]() |
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2012 | ![]() |
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2016 | ![]() |
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2020 | ![]() |
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See Also
- Basketball at the Summer Olympics
- Basketball ID at the Summer Paralympics
- Wheelchair Basketball World Championship
In Spanish: Baloncesto en silla de ruedas en los Juegos Paralímpicos para niños