Norway's second time staging the Paralympic Winter Games saw 469 Para athletes (379 men and 90 women) from 31 countries compete in 133 medal events across five sports.
The host country topped the medals table just like they had done back in 1980 when they last hosted the Games. Para ice hockey featured for the first time at the Games.
COMPETING NATIONS AND ATHLETES
The Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter Games set new records for the most competing Para athletes and delegations. In total 469 Para athletes (379 men and 90 women) from 31 countries were involved in the Games.
Eight countries - Belarus, Bulgaria, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia – all made their Paralympic Winter Games debuts.
Germany (43) had the biggest delegation, followed by Norway (42) and Austria (38).
Germany (10) and Norway (9) had the most female Para athletes.
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SPORTS
A total of five sports were included in the Paralympic Winter Games, with five nations competing in the first ever Paralympic medal event in Para ice hockey.
There were 66 medal events in Para alpine skiing with events in downhill, giant slalom, slalom and Super-G. 220 Para athletes from 24 countries took part.
The 10 Para biathlon medal events attracted 126 Para athletes from 20 countries, while Para cross-country skiing saw 176 Para athletes from 25 countries contest 48 medal events.
After its absence at the Tignes Albertville 1992 Paralympic Winter Games, ice sledge speed skating returned with eight medal events. Twenty-two Para athletes from seven countries contested the medals.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES
Norway's Ragnhild Myklebust set a record by winning nine medals, five gold, two silver and two bronze across ice sledge speed skating, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing. To this day, no other athlete has won nine medals at a single Paralympic Winter Games.
Germany's Frank Hoefle won four gold and one silver medal in Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing.
In Para alpine skiing, the US trio of Nancy Gustafson, Brain Santos and Chris Waddell each won four from four in Para alpine skiing. For the fourth winter Games in a row Germany's Reinhild Moeller won gold in all her Para alpine skiing events.
Results
On home snow and ice, Norway topped the overall medals table for the third time in their history winning 29 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze medals. Germany finished second and USA third.
Norway topped the medals table in Para cross-country skiing and won 23 of the 24 medals available in ice sledge speed skating.
USA dominated the Para alpine skiing events winning gold in 24 of the 66 medal events. Germany led the way in Para cross-country skiing events.
Sweden broke the hearts of hosts Norway to win the first gold medal in Para ice hockey.
Overall, 19 of the 24 competing countries won at least one medal in the sport.
Paralympic Torch Relay
Starting on 4 March, the Paralympic torch was carried through 10 different cities in Norway, including Oslo and Hamar, before it returned to Lillehammer. At each stop the torch was met with festivities and celebrations.
OPENING CEREMONY
At the Opening Ceremony on 10 March, the delegations were officially welcomed to Norway by Queen Sonja. The Paralympic flame was lit by Helge Bjornstand and the athlete's oath was taken by Cato Zahl Pedersen.
CLOSING CEREMONY
The Closing Ceremony provided a fitting end to the two weeks of competition, as soprano Sissel Kyrkjebo kept everyone in the audience spellbound and then the torch was ultimately extinguished.
Medals
The Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter Games medals are crafted from two materials and adorned with a ribbon in the colors of the Norwegian flag.
The base of the medal was made of iron and engraved with the name of the Games. The smaller, circular central piece of the medal is manufactured from gold, silver or bronze. The logo of the Games is engraved on this centerpiece. Another engraving placed on the medal rests on the top crossbar. It replicated pictograms made by indigenous people in Norway to illustrate the competitions of the Games.
Mascot
Sondre the troll was the official mascot of the Lillehammer 1994 Games. He was the first Paralympic Winter Games mascot with a visible physical disability.
He was passionate about winter sports and thoroughly enjoyed skiing. He was eager to watch and cheer on the Paralympic athletes.
Two competitions took place nationwide to determine Sondre’s name and design. Janne Solem won the design challenge. The artist Tor Lindrupsen finalised the design for the Games. Sondre’s name was chosen as an ode to Sondre Norheim, who was regarded as a founder of the sport of skiing.
Torch
Lillehammer 1994 marked the first Paralympic Winter Games to host a torch relay. A six-day relay commenced on Friday, 4 March and concluded on 10 March 1994. The torch traveled from Fagernes, Geilo, Hønefoss, Oslo, Hamar, Øyer and three other cities before reaching Lillehammer to commence the opening ceremony.
Lillehammer 1994 News
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