Australia at the Winter Paralympics

Australia has competed in every Winter Paralympics, which began in 1976. Australia first won Winter Paralympic medals in 1992, when it won 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, and has won medals at every Winter Paralympics since.

Australia first won Winter Paralympic medals in 1992, winning a total of one gold, a silver and two bronze. Michael Milton, an amputee alpine skier, won gold in slalom and silver in super-G. David Munk, a paraplegic sit-skier, won bronze in super-G. Michael Norton, a paraplegic sit-skier, won bronze in the downhill.

In 1994, Australia won 9 Paralympic medals, 3 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze. Milton won gold in giant slalom, silver in slalom and bronze in downhill and super-G. Norton won gold in slalom and super-G. James Paterson, a skier with cerebral palsy, won silver in downhill and bronze in giant slalom. Munk won bronze in giant slalom. Different disabilities have separate events, which is why Paterson and Munk both won bronze in giant slalom. In 1998, 2 medals were won, both by Paterson: gold in downhill and bronze in slalom.

In 2002, the medal haul was 7, consisting of 6 gold and one silver. Milton made a clean sweep, winning gold in downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom. Bart Bunting, a vision-impaired skier guided by Nathan Chivers, won gold in downhill and super-G, and silver in giant slalom.

In 2006, Australia sent its first female competitor, below-knee amputee skier Emily Jansen. James Millar, who was born without his right forearm, was Australia's first Paralympic cross-country skier since Peter Rickards in 1980. Millar also competed in biathlon. Michael Milton attended his last Paralympics, after which he will focus on speed skiing. Milton won a silver medal in downhill, and Toby Kane won bronze in super-G.

ee also

* Australia at the Winter Olympics
* Australia at the Summer Paralympics
* Winter sport in Australia

References

* Australian Paralympic Committee: [http://www.paralympic.org.au/apc_sports_classification.asp?id=254 Australia's Winter Paralympic Games Record]