PARA ATHLETICS PROGRAM ENTRY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Athletes with an upper or lower limb impairment, vision impairment, short stature, or intellectual or coordination impairment, open field push-rim wheelchair athletes, handcycle athletes and duo teams will be eligible to apply for a guaranteed entry at the beginning of the application period.
Athletes in all Para Athletics divisions applying for a guaranteed entry will apply as “pending review”.
Guaranteed applications for the push-rim wheelchair division, handcycle division, and those applying as an ambulatory Para Athletes will be eligible for approval only if the athlete has satisfied one of the following requirements:
- Have a national or World Para Athletics classification
- Return the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Impairment Documentation Form
- The form must be completed by a physician familiar with the athlete’s condition
- The athlete’s application will not be approved unless the form is received
- Have a current Bank of America Chicago Marathon Impairment Documentation Form on file from participation in a previous year
Download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Impairment Documentation Form
Return the completed form by email to para.athletics@chicagomarathon.com.
Guaranteed applications for the duo team division will be eligible for approval only if the athlete has completed and returned a signed Bank of America Chicago Marathon Duo Teams Terms and Conditions form along with a photograph of the wheelchair that will be used.
Download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Duo Teams Terms & Conditions Form
Return the completed form by email to para.athletics@chicagomarathon.com.
Athletes with an upper or lower limb impairment, vision impairment, short stature, or intellectual or coordination impairment, open field push-rim wheelchair athletes, handcycle athletes and duo teams that do not qualify for a guaranteed entry may apply for the non-guaranteed drawings.
Four separate drawings will be conducted: one for ambulatory Para Athletes (upper or lower limb impairments, vision impairments, short stature, or intellectual or coordination impairments), one for open field push-rim wheelchair athletes, one for handcycle athletes, and one for duo teams.
Athletes in all Para Athletics divisions applying for a drawing entry will apply as “pending review”. Applications for the push-rim wheelchair division, handcycle division, and those applying as an ambulatory Para Athletes will be eligible for the drawing only if the athlete has satisfied one of the following requirements:
- Have a national or World Para Athletics classification
- Return the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Impairment Documentation Form
- The form must be completed by a physician familiar with the athlete’s condition
- The athlete’s application will not be approved unless the form is received
- Have a current Bank of America Chicago Marathon Impairment Documentation Form on file from participation in a previous year
Download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Impairment Documentation Form
Return the completed form by email to para.athletics@chicagomarathon.com.
Applications for the duo team division drawing will be eligible for approval only if the athlete has completed and returned a signed Bank of America Chicago Marathon Duo Teams Terms and Conditions form along with a photograph of the wheelchair that will be used.
Download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Duo Teams Terms & Conditions Form
Return the completed form by email to para.athletics@chicagomarathon.com.
Should the capacity for the respective field sizes be reached through guaranteed registration methods prior to the date of the drawings, no athletes will be selected for participation through the non-guaranteed drawings. The following capacities have been established based on multiple factors for the overall safety and experience of the athletes:
Ambulatory athletes with disabilities: 45
Open field push-rim wheelchair athletes: 25
Duo teams: 6 teams
Handcycles: 20
In the event the capacities for the field sizes are exceeded through guaranteed registration methods, athletes will be chosen for participation on a first-come, first-served basis from those athletes with accepted guaranteed registration applications. The order will be determined by the time and date of the submission of the accepted guaranteed entry application.
Should there be capacity remaining in any of the fields after the drawing is complete, athletes may apply for a guaranteed entry through any of the guaranteed registration methods remaining available after the completion of the drawing. Athletes will be chosen for participation on a first-come, first-served basis until the capacity is reached. The order will be determined by the time and date of the submission of the guaranteed entry application.
Athletes with impairments that gain entry through a registration method that permits cancellations will be eligible to cancel their entry and obtain a guaranteed entry for the following year in accordance with the registration cancellation policy. Should a duo team choose to cancel their entry, both members of the team must cancel, and both must claim the guaranteed entry. Only those with canceled duo division entries may claim guaranteed entry to the duo division the following year through the canceled entry track. Canceled individual entries may not be used to claim a guaranteed duo division spot.
The start corral for ambulatory Para Athletes will be at the back of Wave 1. Ambulatory Para Athletes may qualify for advanced start corrals accordance with the start corral qualifying standards and procedures.
Questions? Email para.athletics@chicagomarathon.com