Yurika Abe (阿部 友里香, Abe Yurika, born 7 October 1995) is a Japanese cross-country skier and biathlete. [1] [2]
She competes in paralympic skiing in category LW6. Her left arm has nerve damage from her birth. [1]
In the 2014 Winter Paralympics at Sochi she competed in the 6km standing biathlon, ranking 13th, and in standing cross-country skiing at distances of 1km sprint freestyle, 5km freestyle and 15km freestyle events, ranking 10th, 9th and 8th respectively. [1]
She also competed in the 2018 Winter Paralympics at Pyeongchang. [1]
Australia first competed in the Winter Olympic Games in 1936 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and has participated in every games since, with the exception of the 1948 Games in St. Moritz.
Marit Bjørgen is a former Norwegian cross-country skier. She is ranked first in the all-time Cross-Country World Cup rankings with 114 individual victories. Bjørgen is also the most successful sprinter in Cross-Country World Cup history, with 29 victories. She headed the medal table at the 2010 Winter Olympics by winning five medals, including three gold. A five-time Olympian, her five Olympic medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games brought her total number of medals up to a record 15, making her the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time and the third-most decorated Olympian of all time.
The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete in snow and ice sports. The event includes athletes with mobility impairments, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter Olympic Games and hosted in the same city. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) oversees the Games. Medals are awarded in each event: with gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third, following the tradition that the Olympic Games began in 1904.
Canada competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from February 7 to 23, 2014. Canadians competed in every discipline except Nordic combined.
Jessica Diggins is an American cross-country skier. She is the most accomplished cross-country skier from the United States in the sport's history having won two World Cup overall titles, three Olympic medals, six World Championship medals, and numerous other event championships. Diggins has used her status as a famous athlete to advance advocacy related to climate change and eating disorders.
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.
Mongolia sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7–16 March 2014. This was Mongolia's third time participating in a Winter Paralympic Games. The delegation consisted of a single cross-country skier, Batmönkhiin Ganbold. His best performance in any event was 14th in the men's standing 20 kilometer freestyle, he finished 31st in the 10 km event, and did not advance from the qualification round of the 1 km sprint.
Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was the second time the country had participated in a Winter Paralympic Games. The delegation consisted of two alpine skiers, Senad Turkovic and Ilma Kazazic. Neither of the two finished any of their events.
Denmark sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Denmark's tenth appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. The Danish delegation to Sochi consisted of two alpine skiers, Ulrik Nyvold and Line Damgaard. Nyvold failed to finish either of his events, while Damgaard placed 12th in the women's standing slalom and 15th in the women's standing giant slalom.
Romania competed at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. This was Romania's second appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. The Romanian delegation consisted of one alpine skier, Laura Valeanu, who finished fifth in the slalom and seventh in the giant slalom.
Armenia sent a delegation to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9–25 February 2018. This marked the nation's seventh appearance at a Winter Olympics as an independent country. The Armenian delegation consisted of three athletes, two in cross-country skiing and one in alpine skiing. The team's highest finish in any event was a 42nd place mark by Ashot Karapetyan in the alpine skiing men's slalom event.
Marta Zaynullina is a Russian Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete. She represented Russia at the 2014 Winter Paralympics which was held in her home nation and competed in the cross-country skiing and biathlon events. She claimed a bronze medal in the women's 1km sprint sitting classic event during the 2014 Winter Paralympics. She also competed as a neutral athlete in the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
Oksana Shyshkova is a Ukrainian visually impaired cross-country skier and biathlete. She has competed at the Winter Paralympics thrice in 2010, 2014 and 2018. Oksana Shyshkova claimed 6 medals at the 2017 IPC World Championships, which is her notable achievement in the sport of Nordic skiing. She competed at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, winning a gold medal, in Women's 6 kilometres.
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.
Liudmyla Liashenko is a Ukrainian cross-country skier and biathlete. She has competed at the Paralympics in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Natalie Wilkie is a Canadian Paralympic cross-country skier. As the youngest member of Team Canada at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, Wilkie won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the PyeongChang, South Korea games.
Brittany Hudak is a Canadian biathlete and cross-country skier.
Emily Young, also known as Emily Weekes, is a Canadian female Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete. She has competed formerly as a wrestler and triathlete for Canada in international and national competitions.
The Netherlands sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. The Netherlands delegation consisted of seven competitors, all of which were competing in sports under the alpine skiing banner. Bibian Mentel won the nation's only medal at these Paralympics, a gold in women's snowboard cross. With one gold medal, the Netherlands ranked a joint 14th place on the medal table with Switzerland.
Germany competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.