Eric Arthur Heiden is an American physician and a former long track speed skater, road cyclist and track cyclist. He won an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. Heiden was the most successful athlete at those Olympic Games, single-handedly winning more gold medals than all nations except for the Soviet Union (10) and East Germany (9). He is the most successful Winter Olympian from a single edition of any Winter Olympics. He delivered the Athlete's Oath at those same 1980 Games. His coach was Dianne Holum.
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held in Lake Placid, New York, United States, from February 13 to February 24. A total of 1,072 athletes from 37 nations participated in 38 events from 10 different sports.
Liezel Huber is a South African-American retired tennis player who represented the United States internationally since August 2007. Huber has won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with partner Cara Black, one with Lisa Raymond, and two mixed doubles titles with Bob Bryan. On 12 November 2007, she became the co-world No. 1 in doubles with Cara Black. On 19 April 2010, Huber became the sole No. 1 for the first time in her career.
The USOPC Athlete of the Year awards are part of a series of awards presented by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee to athletes who have distinguished themselves in one of the Olympic or Paralympic sports. Awards are presented to the Olympic or Paralympic SportsMan of the Year, SportsWoman of the Year, and Team of the Year.
The Netherlands competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. This was announced in an official statement on the NOC*NSF website. In the statement they named the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games as a highlight in sports to which a lot of sportspeople, coaches and the Dutch sports fans would look forward. The Netherlands aimed for a top 10 nations ranking in the Olympics as well as a top 25 ranking in the Paralympics; they ended up ranking 12th at the Games.
Zimbabwe has been competing at the Paralympic Games since the country became independent in 1980; it had previously competed as Rhodesia. Zimbabwe was absent from the Games in 1988 and 1992, returning in 1996 with a two-man delegation, and has competed at every edition of the Summer Paralympics since then. It has never taken part in the Winter Paralympics.
Rhodesia was one of the participants at the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, where one of its two representatives was Margaret Harriman, in swimming and archery. The country took part in every edition of the Summer Paralympics until 1972. Although Rhodesia was barred from all Olympics from 1968 until its disestablishment in 1979 after its 1965 Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom, it was allowed to participate in the 1968 Tel Aviv and 1972 Heidelberg games because politicians, both from Britain and the host nations of the games, were unwilling to sanction athletes with disabilities. However, the Canadian government refused to grant visas for the Rhodesian Paralympic team to attend the 1976 Toronto Paralympics.
The Netherlands participated in the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, where it sent a delegation of five athletes. The country has participated in every subsequent edition of the Summer Paralympics. It made its Winter Paralympics début in 1984, and has taken part in every subsequent edition of the Games, except 2006. The Netherlands was the host country of the 1980 Summer Paralympics, in Arnhem.
Dartchery was contested at the Summer Paralympic Games from 1960 to 1980. Competitions were carried out in pairs: mixed pairs from 1960 to 1980, and men's pairs and women's pairs from 1972 to 1980.
The United States competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from August 29 to September 9, 2012.
Michaela Floeth is a former para-athlete from Germany who competed predominantly in F44 category shot put events.
Netherlands competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. The team included 95 athletes, 53 men and 42 women. Competitors from Netherlands won 29 medals, including 5 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze to finish 27th in the medal table.
Zimbabwe sent six athletes across two different sports to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.
Jordan competed at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain and New York City, United States. 9 competitors from Jordan won 3 medals, 1 silver and 2 bronze and finished joint 39th in the medal table with Zimbabwe.
Katja Dedekind is an Australian Paralympic vision-impaired swimmer and goalball player. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and two bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Joke van Rijswijk is a Dutch Paralympic athlete. She represented the Netherlands in athletics at the 1980 Summer Paralympics, at the 1984 Summer Paralympics and at the 1988 Summer Paralympics. In total, she won three gold medals and two bronze medals at the Summer Paralympics.
Lara Baars is a Dutch Paralympic athlete competing in shot put and discus throw events. She was born with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.
Kathrin Goeken is a visually impaired Dutch Paralympic cyclist. She represented the Netherlands at the 2012 Summer Paralympics held in London, United Kingdom and she won one gold medal and one bronze medal.
South Africa competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. The team of 34 athletes competing in seven sports was announced on 14 August 2021, the chef de mission was Leon Fleiser. This was the smallest delegation since the 1992 Summer Paralympics. Except for one gold medal in cycling, all the team's medals, four gold, one silver and two bronze, were won in athletics. Three African and three World records were also set in athletics. South Africa did not enter any team sports.
Marivana Oliveira is a Brazilian Paralympic athlete with cerebral palsy. She won the silver medal in the women's shot put F35 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan. She also represented Brazil at the 2012 Summer Paralympics held in London, United Kingdom and at the 2016 Summer Paralympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won the bronze medal in the women's shot put F35 event in 2016.
