Age Related Competitive Performance in Wheelchair Fencing Across Sports Classes

OBJECTIVE: To examine age related performance in wheelchair fencing Para athletes across five Paralympic Games editions, considering sex, sport class, competitive achievement, Paralympic cycle, and weapon type. DESIGN: This retrospective study analyzed official results from Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024, including 878 athletes (356 females, 522 males). Age related performance was compared across sexes, sport classes (A and B), competitive achievement (medalists vs. non-medalists), Paralympic editions, and weapon types (épée, foil, sabre). Mann-Whitney U tests were applied for pairwise comparisons and Kruskal-Wallis tests for differences across editions and weapons (α=0.05). RESULTS: No significant age difference was found between males (35 y) and females (33 y). class B athletes older than class A (male: P=0.038; female: P=0.002). Non-medalists were older than medalists (P<0.001). Age did not differ across Paralympic editions or weapon types (P>0.05). Most athletes were over 30 years old, particularly females (χ²=38.10; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Age related performance was similar between male and female wheelchair fencing Para athletes and remained stable across Paralympic cycles. However, sport class and competitive achievement were associated with age differences, highlighting the relevance of classification and competitive level for understanding the longevity of elite wheelchair fencing athletes.