The purpose of the study was (a) to identify the characteristics of the 1988 competitive wheelchair, (b) to determine the relationship between selected wheelchair characteristics and speed, and (c) to determine the relationship between selected wheelchair characteristics and distance. The ten (10) wheelchair subjects used in this study were elite track and field athletes who will compete in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games for the Disabled. List variables were as follows: (a) Front wheel diameter, (b) front wheel tire size, (c) front wheel axle length, (d) mainwheel diameter, (e) mainwheel axle length, (f) handrim diameter, (g) mainwheel tire size, (h) top of the horizontal distance, (i) bottom of the horizontal distance, (j) front wheel axle to mainwheel axle distance, (k) vertical displacement, (I) sitting width, (m) axle to axle length, and (n) chair weight.The wheelchairs were photographed and physically measured in order to characterize the wheelchair construction variables. The statistical analysis included mean, standard deviation, and ANOVA calculations via the Minitab Statistical program.There were several significant differences (p <.05) between the chairs in the classification of speed and the level of success. The following variables were found to differ significantly with respect to speed: (a) front wheel diameter, (b) sitting seat width, (c) bottom of the mainwheel horizontal (d) top horizontal distance of the mainwheel, and (e) vertical displacement of the seat. The characteristics of chairs used in short distances were compared to the chair's characteristics used in long distances. The following chair variables were found to differ significantly (p < 0.05) between the long distance group and short distance group: (a) front wheel diameter, (b) top horizontal distance of the mainwheel, (c) axle to axle length, (d) sitting seat width, and (e) wheelchair weight.The wheelchair design appeared to affect both the wheelchair distance and speed.