| Finland at the 1998 Winter Paralympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IPC code | FIN |
| NPC | Finnish Paralympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| in Nagano | |
| Competitors | 21 |
| Medals Ranked 9th |
|
| Winter Paralympics appearances (overview) | |
Finland competed at the 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano, Japan. 21 competitors from Finland won 19 medals including 7 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze and finished 9th in the medal table. [1]
The 1994 Winter Paralympics, the 6th Paralympic Winter Games, were held in Lillehammer, Norway, from 10 to 19 March 1994. These Games marked the second time the Paralympic Winter Games were held in the same location as the Winter Olympics, a tradition that has continued through an agreement of cooperation between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Ice sledge hockey, which became an immediate crowd favorite, was added to the program.
The 1998 Winter Paralympics, the 7th Paralympic Winter Games, were held alongside the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan from 5 to 14 March 1998. They were the first Paralympic Winter Games to be held outside Europe. 571 athletes competed in Nagano; it remains the highest number of athletes competing at any Winter Paralympics.
The 1984 Winter Paralympic Games were the third Winter Paralympics. They were held from 14 to 20 January 1984 in Innsbruck, Austria. They were the first Winter Games organized by the International Co-ordinating Committee (ICC), which was formed on 15 March 1982, in Leysin, Switzerland. These Games were accessible for all athletes with cerebral palsy. Three sports were contested: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and ice sledge speed racing. The most successful athlete was German alpine skier Reinhild Moeller, who won 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal. The Games, then known as the 3rd World Winter Games for the Disabled, were fully sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The 1988 Winter Paralympic Games were the fourth Winter Paralympics, held again in Innsbruck, Austria. These were the last Winter Paralympics to be held in a separate location from the Winter Olympics. Beginning in 1992, the Olympics and the Paralympics were held in the same city or in an adjacent city. These Paralympics were not held at the same Olympic venue in Calgary, Canada, because of financial and recruiting difficulties. A total of 377 athletes from 22 countries took part. The USSR competed for the first and only time. Sit-skiing was introduced as another event in both the Alpine and Nordic skiing competitions. Other sports were biathlon and ice sledge speed racing. Ice sledge speed racer Knut Lundstroem from Norway was the most successful athlete, winning four gold medals in the 100m, 500m, 1000m and 1500m events.
Biathlon at the 1998 Winter Olympics consisted of six biathlon events. They were held at Nozawa Onsen. The events began on 9 February and ended on 21 February 1998.
Alpine Skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics consisted of ten alpine skiing events. The speed events were held at Hakuba and the technical events at Shiga Kogen. There were a number of race postponements due to weather; the events began on 10 February and ended on 21 February.
Finland participated in the ninth Winter Paralympics in Turin, Italy.
Finland first participated at the Olympic Games in 1908, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games and every Winter Olympic Games since then. Finland was also the host nation for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Finnish athletes have won a total of 305 medals at the Summer Games, mostly in athletics and wrestling. Finland has also won 167 medals at the Winter Games, mostly in nordic skiing events.
Jouko Grip is a Paralympic athlete who has won medals in both the Summer and Winter Games. Most of his medals were in Nordic skiing. He is Finnish and has polio in his left hand. In 2006 he was inducted into the Paralympic Hall of Fame. He competed at the Summer Paralympics twice, in 1984 and 1988, and participated in track and field athletics both times, winning two gold medals in the 400 and 1500 metre races in 1984. He competed in seven consecutive Winter Paralympics, from 1980 to 2002, and won a total of ten gold and five silver medals. Two of his winter gold medals were won in the biathlon and the remainder of his winter medals were from cross-country skiing.
Finland participated in the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, with a single representative, swimmer Tauno Valkama - who won gold in his sole event, the 50m crawl. The country was absent from the 1964 Games, but returned in 1968, and has participated in every subsequent edition of the Summer Paralympics. Finland has also taken part in every edition of the Winter Paralympics, from the first in 1976.
Finland participated in the inaugural Winter Paralympic Games in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The country was represented by 26 athletes. This was the second largest delegation at the Örnsköldsvik Games, behind West Germany's - larger than that of the host country. Finns competed exclusively in cross-country skiing.
Canada competed in the 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano, Japan from March 5 to 14, 1998. 32 athletes were sent by the Canadian Paralympic Committee to compete in three sports. Canada won a record of 15 medals at that time and finished fifteenth on the medal table.
Austria competed at the 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano, Japan. 34 competitors from Austria won 34 medals including 7 gold, 16 silver and 11 bronze and finished 8th in the medal table.
Czech Republic competed at the 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano, Japan. 6 competitors from Czech Republic won 7 medals including 3 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze and finished 13th in the medal table.
Finland competed at the 1994 Winter Paralympics in Lillehammer, Norway. 18 competitors from Finland won 24 medals including 7 gold, 6 silver and 11 bronze and finished 7th in the medal table.
Finland competed at the 1992 Winter Paralympics in Tignes/Albertville, France. 17 competitors from Finland won 14 medals including 7 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze and finished 5th in the medal table.
Ilkka Tuomisto is a Finnish male Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete. He has represented Finland at the Paralympics in 2010 and 2014 claiming two medals in his Paralympic career.
Finland competed at the 1984 Winter Paralympics held in Innsbruck, Austria. Thirty competitors from Finland won 34 medals, including 19 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze medals. Finland finished 2nd in the medal table.
Finland competed at the 1988 Winter Paralympics held in Innsbruck, Austria. In total, athletes representing Finland won nine gold medals, eight silver medals and eight bronze medals and the country finished in 4th place in the medal table.
Lahja Hämäläinen is a Finnish ice sledge speed racer. She represented Finland at the 1980 Winter Paralympics, at the 1984 Winter Paralympics and at the 1988 Winter Paralympics. In total, she won four gold medals and three bronze medals.
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