The Deaflympics also known as Deaflympiad are a periodic series of multi-sport events sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at which Deaf athletes compete at an elite level. Unlike the athletes in other IOC-sanctioned events, athletes cannot be guided by sounds. The games have been organized by the Comité International des Sports des Sourds since the first event in 1924.
The 2009 Summer Deaflympics, officially known as the XXI Summer Deaflympic Games and commonly known as Taipei 2009, is an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from 5 to 15 September 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan. It is the third Summer Deaflympics to be held in the Asia-Pacific region. Judo, karate, and taekwondo have been recognized as new summer disciplines in the Deaflympics sports competition program.
Comité International des Sports des Sourds (CISS) is the apex body organizing international sports events for the deaf, particularly the Deaflympics. It is also called the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf. The organization was founded in Paris by Eugène Rubens-Alcais, who organized the first "International Silent Games" in 1924. Alcais was himself deaf and was the president of the French Deaf Sports Federation.
The United States has been participating at the Deaflympics from 1935 and it is also currently placed first in the all time Deaflympics medal list. US has won more than 1000 medals, the only nation to do so in Deaflympics.
South Africa has been participating at the Deaflympics from 1993 and have bagged 62 medals at the Summer Deaflympics South Africa has never participated in Winter Deaflympics.
The 1953 Summer Deaflympics officially known as 7th Deaflympics is an international multi-sport event that was held from 15 August 1953 to 19 August 1953. The event was hosted by Brussels, Belgium.
The 1949 Winter Deaflympics officially known as the I International Winter Games for the Deaf is an international multi-sport event that was held from 26 January 1949 to 30 January 1949. This event was hosted by Austria.
Iceland competed at the Deaflympics for the first time in 1993 and also bagged their first medal at the Deaflympics, which is also Iceland's only medal in Deaflympics history. Iceland also competed in the 1997, 2005 and 2013 Deaflympic events.
Kazakhstan first competed at the Deaflympics for the first time in 1997. Kazakhstan claimed their first Deaflympic medal in their first Deaflympic experience and finished with 2 medals in the event. So far, Kazakhstan has managed to bag 8 medals in the event's history.
Slovenia first competed at the Deaflympics for the first time in 1993. Since then, Slovenia has been regularly participating in the Summer Deaflympics. Slovenia won its first Deaflympic medal in the 1993 Summer Deaflympics.
Mexico has been participating at the Deaflympics since making its debut way back in 1965. Mexico won its first Deaflympic medal in the 2001 Summer Deaflympics for Athletics. In the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, Mexico won its first ever gold medal in Deaflympics history for Judo.
Malaysia first competed at the Deaflympics for the first time in 1993. Since then, Malaysia has competed at the Summer Deaflympics on four occasions. Malaysia won its first Deaflympic medal also during its maiden appearance at the 1993 Summer Deaflympics. Malaysia also narrowly missed the opportunity to compete at the 2013 Summer Deaflympics after being not readied to take part at the event.
Czech Republic which was formerly a part of Czechoslovakia, first competed at the Deaflympics, as an independent nation in 1993. But in 1993, coincidentally Czechoslovakia competed in its last Deaflympic event. Prior to the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Czech athletes went on to compete at the Deaflympics from 1928 to 1993 for Czechoslovakia.
The 2011 Winter Deaflympics officially known as the 17th Winter Deaflympics was originally scheduled to be held from 18 February 2011 to 26 February 2011 in Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia. This was the first time that Slovakia was selected to host a Deaflympic event. But the multi-sporting event was cancelled due to the lack of preparations, lack of readiness and reluctance by the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia prior to the event. The event was also cancelled mainly due to the alleged fraud by the former President of the Deaflympic Committee of Slovakia, Jaromir Ruda. The Winter Games was cancelled and was postponed to 2015, which was the 18th Winter Deaflympics.
Dawn Jani Birley is a Canadian deaf actress, television anchor, educator and a popular taekwondo practitioner. She was engaged with her sport, taekwondo in her early parts of the life before becoming a professional actor in the mid-2000s. She graduated at the Gallaudet University.
The 2019 Winter Deaflympics, officially known as the 19th Winter Deaflympics or XIX Winter Deaflympics, was the 19th edition of the Winter Deaflympics, and took place between the 12–21 December in Sondrio Province in Northern Italy. The opening ceremony was held in Sondrio on 12 December and curling competition began a day prior to the start of the Winter Deaflympics. Sporting events apart from curling commenced on 13 December.
Tone Tangen Myrvoll is a former Norwegian deaf cross-country skier, orienteer and runner. She has represented Norway in both Summer and Winter Deaflympics from 1985 to 2003 on seven occasions. She has competed at the Summer Deaflympics in 1985 and in 1989 and competed at the Winter Deaflympics in 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 and in 2003. Tone Tangen Myrvoll initially started her career as orienteer before pursuing her career in cross country skiing. She is regarded as the most successful cross country skier in Deaflympic history with a medal tally of 15 including 11 gold medals. She is also the most successful athlete from Norway to compete at the Deaflympics.
Canada competed at the 2019 Winter Deaflympics which were held in Valtellina and Valchiavenna, Italy, from December 12 to 21, 2019. Canada was one of the 34 nations to compete at the multi-sport event. This was the nation's 15th appearance at the Winter Deaflympics, having regularly participated at the event since making its debut in 1953.
The United States competed at the 2019 Winter Deaflympics which was held in Valtellina and Valchiavenna, Italy, from December 12 to 21, 2019. The United States was one of the 34 nations to compete at the multi-sport event. This was the nation's 12th appearance at the Winter Deaflympics, having regularly participated at the event since making its debut in 1967. 42 athletes represented the United States at the Deaflympics in all six sporting events including chess, cross-country skiing, curling, ice hockey, alpine skiing, and snowboarding.
Tatyana Yuryevna Gorbunova is a Russian deaf cross-country skier.
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