Australia at the Winter Paralympics
Encyclopedia
Australia has competed in every Winter Paralympics which began in 1976. Australia's sole competitor was Ron Finneran, but he was not an official entrant. In 1980, Kyrra Grunnsund became the first official competitor, in alpine skiing. The numbers increased to two, five, five and six at the next four games, all of them being alpine skiers. The participation decreased to four in 1998 but returned to six in 2002.
Australia won its first Winter Paralympic medals in 1992, and has been in the medal tally of every Paralympics since 1992. All of the medals have been in alpine skiing, and it was not until 2006 that Australia competed in any other sport.
Australia won four Winter Paralympic medals in 1992—one gold, a silver and two bronze. Michael Milton
, an amputee alpine skier, won gold in slalom and silver in super-G. David Munk, a paraplegic sit-skier, won bronze in super-G. Michael Norton, a paraplegic sit-skier, won bronze in the downhill. In 1994, Australia won nine medals, three gold, two silver and four bronze. Milton won gold in the giant slalom, silver in slalom and bronze in downhill and super-G. Norton won gold in the slalom and super-G. James Paterson, a skier with cerebral palsy, won silver in downhill and bronze in giant slalom. Munk won bronze in giant slalom. Different disabilities have separate events, which is why Paterson and Munk both won bronze in giant slalom. In 1998, two medals were won, both by Paterson: gold in downhill and bronze in slalom.
In 2002, the medal haul was seven, consisting of six gold and one silver. Milton made a clean sweep, winning gold in the downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom. Bart Bunting, a vision-impaired skier guided
by Nathan Chivers, won gold in the downhill and super-G, and silver in the giant slalom.
In 2006, Australia sent its first female Winter Paralympian, Emily Jansen, a below-knee amputee alpine skier. James Millar, who was born without his right forearm, competed in the cross-country and the biathlon, becoming the first Australian to compete in an event outside of alpine skiing. Milton attended his last Paralympics. A target of two medals was set, which took into account the consolidation of disability classes. Australia met this target, with Milton winning silver in the downhill and Toby Kane
winning bronze in super-G.
Australia won its first Winter Paralympic medals in 1992, and has been in the medal tally of every Paralympics since 1992. All of the medals have been in alpine skiing, and it was not until 2006 that Australia competed in any other sport.
Australia won four Winter Paralympic medals in 1992—one gold, a silver and two bronze. Michael Milton
Michael Milton
Michael John Milton, OAM is an Australian Winter Paralympic skier and cyclist. He lost a leg to bone cancer when he was nine years old...
, an amputee alpine skier, won gold in slalom and silver in super-G. David Munk, a paraplegic sit-skier, won bronze in super-G. Michael Norton, a paraplegic sit-skier, won bronze in the downhill. In 1994, Australia won nine medals, three gold, two silver and four bronze. Milton won gold in the giant slalom, silver in slalom and bronze in downhill and super-G. Norton won gold in the slalom and super-G. James Paterson, a skier with cerebral palsy, won silver in downhill and bronze in giant slalom. Munk won bronze in giant slalom. Different disabilities have separate events, which is why Paterson and Munk both won bronze in giant slalom. In 1998, two medals were won, both by Paterson: gold in downhill and bronze in slalom.
In 2002, the medal haul was seven, consisting of six gold and one silver. Milton made a clean sweep, winning gold in the downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom. Bart Bunting, a vision-impaired skier guided
Sighted guide
A sighted guide is a person who guides a person with blindness or vision impairment.-Paralympic Games:At the Paralympic Games there are various classifications of athletes with a visual impairment....
by Nathan Chivers, won gold in the downhill and super-G, and silver in the giant slalom.
In 2006, Australia sent its first female Winter Paralympian, Emily Jansen, a below-knee amputee alpine skier. James Millar, who was born without his right forearm, competed in the cross-country and the biathlon, becoming the first Australian to compete in an event outside of alpine skiing. Milton attended his last Paralympics. A target of two medals was set, which took into account the consolidation of disability classes. Australia met this target, with Milton winning silver in the downhill and Toby Kane
Toby Kane
Toby Kane is an Australian Paralympian who won bronze in the Men's Super-G - Standing at the 2006 Winter Paralympics. He lost his lower right leg in a car accident when he was two, but has no memory of this or ever skiing on two legs. He is expected to compete in the 2010 Winter Paralympics and is...
winning bronze in super-G.
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... at the Winter Paralympics |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
| 1980 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1984 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1988 Australia at the 1988 Winter Paralympics Australia competed at the 1988 Winter Paralympics. They did not win a single medal. Team members were Kyrra Grunnsund, Evan Hodge, Michael Milton, Steven Kirwood and David Munk. At these Games, Australia was only represented by male athletes.- References :... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1992 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 1994 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 9 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| 2002 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 |
| 2006 Australia at the 2006 Winter Paralympics Australia participated in the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin, Italy. Ten people competed, Australia's largest ever Winter Paralympic contingent... |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
See also
- Australia at the ParalympicsAustralia at the ParalympicsAustralia has sent delegations to the Summer Paralympics since the first games in 1960, and to the Winter Paralympics since 1980, ....
- Australia at the Summer ParalympicsAustralia at the Summer ParalympicsAustralia has competed in every Summer Paralympics from the first games, which began in 1960. At these first Paralympic Games in 1960, Australia was seventh in the medal table, winning 10 medals; 3 gold, 6 silver and 1 bronze.-See also:...
- Australia at the Winter OlympicsAustralia at the Winter OlympicsAustralia first competed in the Winter Olympic Games in 1936 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and has participated in every games since, with the exception of the 1948 Games in St...
- Winter sport in AustraliaWinter sport in AustraliaWinter Sports in Australia encompasses a great variety of activities across the continent of Australia, including winter sports played in snow and ice. Climate varies considerably from the tropical North to temperate South in Australia, and sporting practices vary accordingly...