The 1994 Winter Paralympics, the sixth Winter Paralympics, were held in Lillehammer, Norway, from 10–19 March 1994. These Games marked the first 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 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, the ninth Winter Paralympics, took place in Turin, Italy from 10 to 19 March 2006. These were the first Winter Paralympic Games to be held in Italy. They were also the first Paralympics to use the new Paralympics logo.
The 2014 Winter Paralympics, the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, were an international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), held in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia on 7–16 March 2014. 45 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) participated in the Games, which marked the first time Russia ever hosted the Paralympics. The Games featured 72 medal events in five sports, and saw the debut of snowboarding at the Winter Paralympics.
Sledge hockey, called Para ice hockey by the International Paralympic Committee, also known as ice sledge hockey, is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. Para ice hockey was invented in the early 1960s in Stockholm, Sweden, at a rehabilitation centre. It is currently one of the most popular sports in the Winter Paralympic Games.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland competed at the 2006 Winter Paralympics held in Turin, Italy. The team was known by it shortened name of Great Britain, for identification purposes.
The 4th IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships were held between March 29, 2008 and April 5, 2008 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, United States, at the New England Sports Center. Organized by Massachusetts Hockey in co-operation with US Paralympics, around 200 athletes from ten countries participated in the 10-team round robin tournament which featured two divisions: six teams in group A and four teams in group B.
The 3rd IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was held between April 13, 2004 and April 24, 2004 at Kempehallen in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. Örnsköldsvik was also the host of the first Paralympic Winter Games in 1976. Participating countries: 104 athletes from eight nations Canada, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Norway, Sweden, United States. The USA, Norway and Sweden were automatically qualified for their performance at the Salt Lake 2002 Paralympic Winter Games, while the other five teams were selected through regional championships.
The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete in snow & ice sports. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter Olympic Games. The Winter Paralympics are also hosted by the city that hosted the Winter Olympics. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) oversees the Winter Paralympics. Medals are awarded in each event: with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, following the tradition that the Olympic Games started in 1904.
The United States sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A total of 50 U.S. competitors took part in all five sports. The American delegation included five former members of the U.S. military, including a veteran of the Iraq War and a veteran of the War in Afghanistan.
Norway sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A total of 27 Norwegian athletes competed in four disciplines; the only sport Norway did not compete in is alpine skiing.
The 3rd IPC Ice Sledge Hockey European Championships was held between February 12, 2011 and February 20, 2011 at Niphallen in Sollefteå, Sweden. Participating 130 athletes from ten nations: Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland competed at the 1994 Winter Paralympics held in Lillehammer, Norway. The team was known by it shortened name of Great Britain, for identification purposes. Twenty-three athletes, all of whom were men,. competed for Britain. The team won five medals at the Games, all bronze, and finished 21st in the medal table. Richard Burt won two medals in alpine skiing, as he had done in the 1992 Games. In addition to the medal performances the team had seven top ten finishes.
Joseph "Momo" Howard is an ice sledge hockey player from United States. Howard lost both of his legs at the age of 15. In 1982, he was introduced to ice sledge hockey, and competed in his first Winter Paralympics at the 1998. At those games, the USA came in seventh place but Howard set a record with six goals in one match. At the 2002 Winter Paralympics, Howard contributed with three points in a 5-1 defeat of Canada. In the Gold Medal game, After an overtime shootout victory, the Americans prevailed defeating defending champions Norway 4-3. Going undefeated (6-0), outscoring opponents 26-6 in the tournament. Joe was named MVP of the Gold Medal game. Scoring three goals and adding one assist. He was named a first team all-star. Howard's hard-fought first-place finish was extra special. He fulfilled a promise he made to his mother, who was unable to attend as she was ill with cancer, by winning the Gold. Following the USA's victory over Estonia, he proposed to his girlfriend of five years Carol Tribuna on the center of the rink. He took part in the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, where USA won gold. Going undefeated and not allowing a goal during the tournament, outscoring their opponents 19-0, They beat Japan 2-0 in the final. Howard had both assists, and helped earn his second Paralympic Gold Medal
The 1998 Winter Paralympics were held in Nagano, Japan from the 5–14 March 1998. At the Games, Australia was represented by four male alpine skiers. Australia finished equal 16th of 21 Nations on the overall medal tally. James Patterson, an LW9 standing skier, won Australia's two medals - one gold and one bronze.
The 1988 Paralympic Winter Games were the fourth Winter Paralympics, held at the venue of the preceding Games, in Innsbruck, Austria. These were the last Winter Paralympics to be held in a separate location from the Summer Paralympic Games. Beginning in 1992, the Olympics and the Paralympics were held in the same city or in an adjacent city in the same country. These Winter Paralympics were not held at the 1988 Olympic venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, due to the lack of manpower and financial difficulties.
Canada competed at the 1994 Winter Paralympics in Lillehammer, Norway from March 10 to 19, 1994. 34 athletes competed in all four sports: alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey, ice sledge speed racing, and Nordic skiing.
Japan sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The group from Japan was going to compete in para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, para-snowboarding and sledge hockey.
Czech Republic sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The sportspeople are competing two sports: para-alpine skiing and sledge hockey. There were 24 sportspeople, 16 support people and 4 administrators. First allocated four sports in para-alpine skiing, the country won two more spots and are sending six skiers. The sledge hockey team goes to South Korea after qualifying at a tournament in Sweden. They had financial difficulties before the Winter Paralympics because of corruption in sports funding. This made it more difficult to train and compete for the 2018 Games.
Norway sent competitors to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. People are competing in para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, para-snowboarding, sledge hockey and wheelchair curling.
