2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids
The 2018 Winter Paralympics were a big sports event for athletes with disabilities. They took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from March 9 to 18, 2018. This was the 12th time these Games were held. The IOC picked South Korea to host the Games back in 2011.
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Who Competed at the 2018 Paralympics?
About 550 athletes from 42 different countries came to compete in the 2018 Games. For four of these countries, it was their very first time at the Winter Paralympics! These new countries were Pakistan, Georgia, North Korea, and Tajikistan.
Just like the Olympics that happened a month before, athletes from Russia did not compete under their country's name. This was because some athletes had used banned substances to try and get an unfair advantage. Athletes who were proven to be clean could still compete as "Olympic Athletes from Russia."
What Sports Were Played?
Six different sports were part of the 2018 Winter Paralympics. Athletes competed for a total of 80 medals across these sports. A cool change from the 2014 Games was that para-snowboarding became its own sport. In 2014, it was part of para-alpine skiing.
In 2018, snowboarding offered 10 medals, which was a big jump from only 2 medals in 2014. Around 670 athletes competed in these sports, which was 24% more than at the previous Games in Sochi.
Here are the sports that were played:
- Alpine skiing (30 medal events)
- Biathlon (18 medal events)
- Cross-country skiing (20 medal events)
- Sledge hockey (1 medal event)
- Snowboarding (10 medal events)
- Wheelchair curling (1 medal event)
In 2015, the International Paralympic Committee decided on the final list of medal events for the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
Where Were the Games Held?
The competitions took place in two main areas in Pyeongchang: the mountain area and the coastal area.
Mountain Area Venues
- Jeongseon Alpine Center: This is where athletes competed in para-alpine skiing and snowboarding.
- Alpensia Biathlon Centre: This venue hosted para-Nordic skiing, which includes biathlon and cross-country skiing.
Coastal Area Venues
- Gangneung Hockey Centre: This arena was used for sledge hockey games.
- Gangneung Curling Centre: This is where the wheelchair curling competitions happened.
When Did Events Happen?
The calendar below shows when the different events took place during the 2018 Winter Paralympics. Blue boxes mean group play or round robin games were happening. Yellow boxes show days when medals were awarded. The number in the yellow box tells you how many medals were given out that day.
| ● | Opening Ceremonies | Group Play | Finals | ● | Closing Ceremonies |
| Mas 2018 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total medals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Ceremony | ● | ||||||||||
| Closing ceremonies | ● | ||||||||||
| Alpine Skiing | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 30 | |||
| Biathlon | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | |||||||
| Cross Country Skiing | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 20 | |||||
| Sledge Hockey | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Snowboarding | 5 | 5 | 10 | ||||||||
| Wheelchair Curling | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Totalt | 12 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 80 |
How Were Ticket Sales?
Before the Games started, there wasn't a lot of excitement about the Paralympics in South Korea. About two weeks before the opening ceremony, less than 10% of the tickets had been sold. To try and get more people interested, a sledge hockey game was held, but very few people came to watch.
Images for kids
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Opening ceremony at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
See also
In Spanish: Juegos Paralímpicos de Pieonchang 2018 para niños
