Geilo 1980

The second edition of the Paralympic Winter Games were held in Norway and attracted an increased number of Para athletes and competing countries.

The sport programme expanded to include ice sledge speed skating and hosts Norway topped the medals table.

The Norwegian Sports Organisation for the Disabled, today known as NPC Norway, held a large, colourful Opening Ceremony.

COMPETING NATIONS AND ATHLETES

The success of the first Paralympic Winter Games, saw the second edition grow to 299 Para athletes (229 men and 70 women) from 18 countries.

For the second successive Winter Games, West Germany had the biggest athlete delegation with 38 athletes, followed by hosts Norway (37) and Austria (34).

Australia, Denmark, Italy and New Zealand made their Paralympic Winter Games debut.

Norway and USA had the highest number of female athletes with 10 apiece.

SPORTS

There were 64 medal events at the Games across Para alpine skiing, Para cross-country skiing and a new addition to the Paralympic programme ice sledge speed skating.

Para alpine skiing featured 22 medal events and attracted 132 Para athletes from 15 countries. There were 28 medal events in Para cross-country skiing which brought together 148 Para athletes from 14 countries.

The 14 medal events in ice sledge speed skating were contested by 26 athletes from five countries.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES

Norway's Brit Mjaasund Oejen was the star performer of the Games. She won all three ice sledge speed skating events, and also picked up two gold medals in Para cross-country skiing.

Her compatriot Erik Sandbraaten also had a great Games winning three gold and one bronze medal in ice sledge speed skating and cross-country skiing.

Results

Hosts Norway, helped by success in ice sledge skating events, finished the Games atop the medals table with 23 gold, 21 silver and 10 bronze medals. Second and third were Finland (16 gold, seven silver, and 12 bronze) and Austria (six gold, 10 silver and six bronze) respectively.

Ten nations won a medal, with nine claiming at least one gold.

With six gold medals, Austria topped the Para alpine skiing medals table, finishing ahead of Switzerland and USA. Eight nations won medals in the sport, with all but one winning at least one gold.

For the second successive Winter Games, Finland was the leading nation in Para cross-country skiing winning 14 gold, seven silver and nine bronze medals. Norway and Sweden finished second and third respectively. Three nations won gold medals, and eight nations overall had athletes make the podium at least once.

Norway dominated ice sledge speed skating events. The host nation won 12 out of the 14 gold medals up for grabs, and also won 32 of the 40 medals available.

Country

Gold

Silver

Bronze

NOR

FIN

AUT

SWE

SUI

Medals

The medals from the 1980 Winter Paralympic Games Geilo, also known as “2nd Olympic Winter Games for Disabled - Geilo 1980 Norway” showcase an engraved burning torch in the middle of the award. In the background, the torch is accompanied by three interlocking wheels, representing the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation, with reference to the 1968 Tel Aviv Games.

Ceremonial torch and Paralympics mascot for the 1980 Games in Geilo were not included.

Geilo 1980 News

Four people sit side by side, with two of them holding each other's hands to celebrate

IPC

French Alps and Salt Lake City-Utah to stage 2030 and 2034 Paralympic Winter Games

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said, “On behalf of the Paralympic Movement, I would like to send my congratulations to French Alps 2030 and Salt Lake City-Utah 2034. Both host cities present very different proposals and exciting opportunities for the Paralympic Movement in the years ahead."