| Bulgaria at the 2018 Winter Paralympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IPC code | BUL |
| NPC | Bulgarian Paralympic Association |
| in Pyeongchang | |
| Competitors | 1 in 1 sport |
| Medals |
|
| Winter Paralympics appearances (overview) | |
Bulgaria sent a competitor to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Their sole competitor is para-Nordic skier Svetoslav Georgiev. Georgiev competed at the Paralympics before. In 2014, he finished 16th in the 1km sprint qualification race.
Bulgaria is sending one person to compete at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. [1] The person is blind skier Svetoslav Georgiev. Chairman of the Bulgarian Paralympic Association Iliya Lalov said they do not have high expectations. The country is good at Summer Paralympics. They are not good at winter sports like skiing. [1]
The table below contains the list of members of people (called "Team Bulgaria") that will be participating in the 2018 Games.
| Name | Sport | Gender | Classification | Events | ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Svetoslav Georgiev | para-Nordic skiing | male | B3 | [1] [2] |
Bulgaria has never won a medal at the Winter Paralympics. [1] The country sent two people to the 2014 Winter Paralympics, and three people to the 2010 Winter Paralympics. [1] The 2010 team included Joana Ermenkova, Alexander Stoyanov and Ivan Vatov. [1]
Svetoslav Georgiev competed at the Paralympics before. In 2014, he finished 16th in the 1km sprint qualification race. [1] That was two spots ahead of the other Bulgarian, Jelez Kolev, who competed in the same race. [1] His best international ranking has been 27th. [3] That was in 2014. The most recent ranking was in January 2018. He was ranked 36th. [3]
Georgiev is a member of the National Sports Academy Ski Club. He is coached by Ivan Birnikov. When he was young, his father encouraged him to practice sport. He started skiing when he was a 7-year-old. He started competing internationally in 2011. He was Bulgaria's flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. He has also represented Bulgaria in para-athletics. [2]
Paralympic cross-country skiing is an adaptation of cross-country skiing for athletes with disabilities. Paralympic cross-country skiing is one of two Nordic skiing disciplines in the Winter Paralympic Games; the other is biathlon. Competition is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Oleg Ponomarev is a Russian Paralympic Nordic skier who competed in cross-country skiing and biathlon at the 2014 Winter Paralympics, in Sochi. He won a bronze medal in the 1 km sprint for visually impaired athletes.
Para-Nordic skiing classification is the classification system for para-Nordic skiing which includes the biathlon and cross-country events. The classifications for Para-Nordic skiing mirrors the classifications for Para-Alpine skiing with some exceptions. A functional mobility and medical classification is in use, with skiers being divided into three groups: standing skiers, sit skiers and visually impaired skiers. International classification is governed by International Paralympic Committee, Nordic Skiing (IPC-NS). Other classification is handled by national bodies. Before the IPC-NS took over classification, a number of organizations handled classification based on the type of disability.
LW12 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic sit skiing sport class defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). An LW12 skier needs to meet a minimum of one of several conditions including a single below knee but above ankle amputation, monoplegia that exhibits similar to below knee amputation, legs of different length where there is at least a 7 centimetres difference, combined muscle strength in the lower extremities less than 71. For international competitions, classification is done through IPC Alpine Skiing or IPC Nordic Skiing. For sub-international competitions, classification is done by a national federation such as Alpine Canada. For para-alpine, this class is subdivided into two subclasses.: LW12.1 and LW12.2. A new sit-skier competitor with only national classification will compete as LW12.2 in international competitions until they have been internationally classified.
LW11 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic sit skiing sport class, a classification defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC for people with paralysis in the lower extremities and people with cerebral palsy that affects the lower half of the body. Outside of skiing, the competitor in this class is unable to walk. For international competitions, classification is done through IPC Alpine Skiing or IPC Nordic Skiing. For sub-international competitions, classification is done by a national federation such as Alpine Canada.
LW10 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic sit-skiing classification for skiers who cannot sit up without support. For international skiing competitions, classification is conducted by IPC Alpine Skiing and IPC Nordic Skiing, while national federations such as Alpine Canada handle classification for domestic competitions.
LW2 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic standing ski sport class defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Competitors in this class have severe disability in a lower limb, which may be a result of an amputation, or arthrodesis in the leg and hip. Depending on the type of skiing, the international classification process for LW2 skiers is handled by the IPC Alpine Skiing Technical Committee and IPC Nordic Skiing Technical Committee. National sport federations handle classification on the lower levels.
LW3 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic standing skiing sport class defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for skiers with a disability affecting both legs, with double below knee amputation or a combined strength total for both legs of 60, with 80 as the baseline for people without disabilities. For international skiing competitions, classification is done through IPC Alpine Skiing or IPC Nordic Skiing. The classification has two subclasses for para-alpine skiing: LW3.1 which is for people with double below the knee amputations or similar disabilities, and LW3.2 which is for people with cerebral palsy that involves moderate athetoid, moderate ataxic impairment or slight diplegic involvement.
Brazil sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. This marked the country's first entry into the Winter Paralympic Games. Brazil sent two athletes, snowboarder Andre Pereira in Alpine skiing and Fernando Rocha in cross-country skiing. The country's best performance in any event was 15th, achieved by Rocha in the 15 km sitting competition.
Christopher Klebl is an American-Canadian cross-country skier who represented the United States at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Paralympics before winning a gold medal for Canada at the 2014 Winter Paralympics.
North Korea was one of the competing teams in 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The Games were the first for North Korea for the Winter Paralympics. The country has two skiers, Kim Jong-hyon (김정현) and Ma Yu-chol (마유철), racing in para-Nordic skiing.
Japan sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The group from Japan competed in para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, para-snowboarding and sledge hockey.
Kazakhstan sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Six people and one guide skier from Kazakhstan will be going to Pyeongchang, South Korea for the 2018 Winter Paralympics. All are competing in para-Nordic skiing. There are six men and one woman. Three are going to their first Paralympic Games. They are coached by Vasily Kolomyjets. The team spent two years preparing for the Winter Paralympics.
Mongolia sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Batmönkhiin Ganbold competed in para-Nordic skiing. He qualified by competing at the Para Nordic Skiing World Cup.
Tajikistan sent competitors the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Two people will be competing in para-Nordic skiing in Tajikistan's first appearance at the Winter Paralympics. They trained in Germany and China before the start of the Games.
Uzbekistan sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Only one skier from Uzbekistan was selected to go. Yokutkhon Kholbekova is going to compete in para-Nordic skiing. Saodat Numanova was selected to referee para-alpine skiing events. 2018 is the second time Uzbekistan will go to the Winter Paralympics.
Belarus sent competitors the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. People are competing in para-Nordic skiing. The team includes one woman and one man. Both had gone to the Winter Paralympics before. The country has a history of doing well at the Winter Paralympics, having first gone in 1994. Going to South Korea, they had already won 23 Winter Paralympic medals.
Georgia sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The team has two people who are competing in para-Nordic skiing. One is a man and one is a woman.
Serbia sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. One person on the team is para-Nordic skier Milos Zaric. In addition to para-Nordic skier, Zaric is also a para-athlete. He is the world champion in the men's F55 javelin.
Aaron Pike is an American athlete who competes in wheelchair racing, biathlon, and cross-country skiing. He has competed at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics, as well as the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Winter Paralympics. Pike finished second at the 2022 Boston Marathon, third at the 2021 and 2022 Chicago Marathons, and fourth at the 2018 and 2019 New York City Marathons as well as the 2021 Boston Marathon. He won multiple medals at the 2023 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships, including winning the 12.5 km seated event.