Winter Paralympics

2022 - 3 - 4

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Aljazeera.com"

Beijing Winter Paralympics open after athlete ban controversy (Aljazeera.com)

IOC called on sporting federations to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukraine delegation said it had been overwhelmed with solidarity in Beijing, and the team’s top official declared earlier this week it was a “miracle” they made it to the competition. This was “jeopardising the viability” of the Games, organisers said as they announced the ban, citing safety concerns and a volatile mood in the athletes’ village. Earlier in the staging area, Ukrainian athletes unveiled banners that said “stop war” and repeatedly chanted “peace for Ukraine”. Some shed tears as they received hugs from competitors from other nations. The lead-up to the Games was marred by high tension in the athletes’ village, threats of competition boycotts and an eleventh-hour reversal by organisers of a previous decision to let Russian athletes and those from ally Belarus compete as neutrals. On Wednesday, Paralympic organisers said the “harshest punishment” they could administer was to force athletes from those countries to compete as neutrals. Athletes paraded through Beijing’s national stadium as the Winter Paralympics opened after a storm of controversy surrounding the banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Calls for peace and inclusion dominated the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony (unknown)

Fireworks are seen as the Olympic cauldron is lit during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics at the Beijing National Stadium on March 04 ...

A platform emerged from the stadium floor, bringing Duan alone to the center of the snowflake. The opening ceremony included a video montage of people touching their torches together to light them, against a variety of backdrops and landscapes. The Paralympic torch looks like a silver and gold scroll and bears similarities to its Olympic counterpart, as organizers explain. The torchbearer was Li Duan, a visually impaired long jumper who won medals in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008 before his retirement. A young girl picked up a lantern, placing it on the high-definition LED floor to create color and movement across the stadium. Thirteen interpreters (symbolizing the 13th Winter Paralympics) stood around them on rotating LED snowflakes, raising their arms and fingers to the beat of the music. He did not mention Russia by name, but called for the Olympic Truce for peace – a United Nations resolution adopted by consensus in December – to be respected and observed. "Here in Beijing, Paralympic athletes from 46 different nations will compete with each other, not against each other," he said at one point. Carter is a three-time Paralympian who made his debut at the Sochi Games in 2014. Team USA is made up of 67 athletes, including two guides for visually impaired athletes, with a mix of veterans and newcomers. The team includes two six-time Paralympians, Nordic skiers Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike, and one five-time Paralympian, Laurie Stephens in alpine skiing. And one is here in Beijing."

Winter Paralympics 2022: GB win first medal as Ukraine soar on day ... (The Guardian)

GB opened their campaign at the Winter Paralympics with a bronze for Millie Knight and her guide Brett Wild in the very first medal event.

There was a surprise in the women’s standing event as the eight-time Paralympic champion and favourite, Marie Bochet of France, crashed out while attempting to defend her title. “That was probably the run of my life.” There was also a Ukrainian element to the victory of Oksana Masters in the women’s biathlon sitting sprint. Masters was born in Ukraine and settled in the US, the nation she competes for, after she was adopted. The most emotional scenes of the day were at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre, where Grygorii Vovchynskyi took Ukraine’s first gold of the Games. “I was thinking before the race, I must try to do everything for Ukraine,” he said. The hosts made a strong start with eight medals in total, including Liu Zixu and Guo Yujie securing golds in biathlon events.

Oksana Masters wins first US gold of Winter Paralympics (Home of the Olympic Channel)

The Winter Paralympics feature 78 medal events across six sports — Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, snowboarding, hockey and curling — with more than 700 athletes expected to compete from around the world, including 67 Americans. ON HER TURF: ...

It was a rematch of the 2018 Paralympic final, won on Farmer’s golden goal in overtime. Ukraine, a Paralympic power, won the most biathlon medals at the 2018 Paralympics. And I can’t wait to race for the two countries that make me whole.” She moved into a tie for third on the U.S. women’s career Winter Paralympic medal list with her eighth. She won two cycling golds at the Tokyo Games six months ago. Gretsch won triathlon gold at the Tokyo Games.

Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from Winter Paralympics (The Irish Times)

The IPC's announcement on Wednesday that athletes from those countries would be allowed to compete under a neutral flag despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine ...

“Multiple National Paralympic Committees, some of which have been contacted by their governments, teams and athletes, are threatening not to compete. The situation in the athletes village, Parsons said, had “become untenable”. We are fiercely proud of the principles and values that have made the movement what it is today.

Ukraine top Winter Paralympics medal table (RTE.ie)

Ukraine sit atop the Winter Paralympics medal table after claimed three gold medals on the first day of action in Beijing.

"I want to dedicate this medal to the guys who protect our cities. "I'm really proud that we have the Ukrainian podiums today, because it's really important for our country... It's our people, our children."