What do the S, SB and SM classes mean?
Rule- South Africa
- Swimming South Africa
- Para swimming
- World Para Swimming rules
- Classification
- All ages
- 2025/26
- Swimmers
Para swimmers have a sport class for each stroke group:
| Prefix | Events |
|---|---|
| S | Freestyle, butterfly and backstroke |
| SB | Breaststroke |
| SM | Individual medley |
SM is an entry index, not a separate sport class. It's calculated from your S and SB classes: (3 × S + SB) ÷ 4.
So one swimmer can hold different numbers for S and SB. The number shows the impairment group: 1-10 physical, 11-13 vision and 14 intellectual impairment. At SSA meets, World Para Swimming rules apply to para events, and SSA publishes its para qualifying times by event and class.
Updated 22 Oct 2026