The 2018 Winter Paralympics have begun. They are the 12th Paralympic Winter Games, and are being held in PyeongChang. The Games are an international multi-sport event for athletes that is currently taking place from March 9th to the 18th.
Athletes representing 49 National Paralympic Committees are participating in these Games, which mark the first time that PyeongChang, South Korea had hosted the Winter Paralympics and the second Paralympics held in the country overall, after the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul.
The sporting events at the Paralympics include: alpine skiing, biathalon, cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, snowboarding and wheelchair curling. You can read more about each sport here. You can learn more about the athletes for each event here.
We would like to introduce you to the Scandinavian teams.
Denmark
Denmark has claimed six medals at the past Paralympic Winter Games: Gold 2 – Silver 1 – Bronze 3.
Lillehammer 1994 were Denmark’s most successful Paralympic Winter Games to date, as it won one gold medal there alongside two bronze.
Denmark is ranked 25th in the Winter Games’ all-time medal table. You can read more about the Denmark team here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5yn-2JO2EU?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Finland
Finland has claimed 183 medals at the Paralympic Winter Games: Gold 76 – Silver 48 – Bronze 59.
Innsbruck 1984 were Finland’s most successful Paralympic Winter Games to date, winning 19 gold medals (G19-S9-B6).
Finland is ranked sixth in the Winter Games’ all-time medal table.
They have been more successful in cross-country skiing than in any other sport, claiming 64 gold, 46 silver and 52 bronze medals.
Only Norway (78) has won more gold medals in cross-country skiing events at the Paralympic Winter Games than Finland (64).
You can read more about the Finland team here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwJVCyhhziU?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Iceland
Iceland has yet to claim its first medal at the Paralympic Winter Games.
They made their debut at the Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter Games.
Alpine Skier Erna Fridriksdottir claimed two top-10 finishes at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, ninth in the women’s giant slalom sitting and 10th in the women’s slalom sitting.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjyEpM9vOpk?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Norway
Norway has claimed 319 medals at the Paralympic Winter Games: Gold 135 – Silver 103 – Bronze 81.
The Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter Games were Norway’s most successful Paralympic Winter Games to date, winning 29 gold medals (S22-B13).
Norway hosted the Paralympic Winter Games in 1980 when the event was held in Geilo and in 1994 when the event was held in Lillehammer.
They have been most successful in cross-country skiing, claiming 78 gold, 46 silver and 33 bronze medals.
You can read more about Norway’s team here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZFhErE_PI8?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Sweden
Sweden has won 99 medals at the Paralympic Winter Games: Gold 26 – Silver 32 – Bronze 41.
Sweden won its most medals in cross-country skiing, 55. It also won silverware in alpine skiing (31), biathlon (5), ice hockey (3), ice sledge speed racing (3) and wheelchair curling (2).
Sweden has won 17 gold medals in women’s events and nine in men’s.
Sweden won most medals at the Ornskoldsvik 1976 Paralympic Winter Games when it hosted the Games and claimed 20 medals.
You can read more about Sweden’s team here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7q3uQlJ-GQ&w=560&h=315]
Television coverage
Watching any Olympian is amazing, but watching the athletes at the Paralympic Games is amazing and inspiring. You can find the NBC coverage schedule here.
Don’t believe me, watch all or part of the Gold Medal ice sledge hockey game between the USA and Russia from 2014.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmFhwcDIzmI?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Written by Mary Hirsch