Austria at the 2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids
Austria sent a team of amazing athletes to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. These Games are a huge international sports event for athletes with disabilities. Austria's team had 13 talented people competing in three exciting winter sports: para-alpine skiing, para-snowboarding, and cross-country skiing.
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Meet Team Austria
Austria's team for the 2018 Winter Paralympics was made up of 13 athletes. They competed in para-alpine skiing, para-snowboarding, and cross-country skiing.
Here are the members of "Team Austria" who participated in the 2018 Games:
| Name | Sport | Gender | Classification | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heike Eder | para-alpine skiing | female | sitting | slalom, giant slalom |
| Carina Edlinger | para-Nordic skiing | female | cross country skiing | |
| Julian Edlinger | para-Nordic skiing | male | guide skier | cross country skiing |
| Markus Gfatterhofer | para-alpine skiing | male | sitting | slalom, giant slalom |
| Thomas Grochar | para-alpine skiing | male | standing | super combined, Super-G, slalom, giant slalom |
| Christoph Gmeiner | para-alpine skiing | male | guide skier | Super-G, super combined, slalom, giant slalom |
| Claudia Lösch | para-alpine skiing | female | sitting | downhill, Super-G, super combined, slalom, giant slalom |
| Patrick Mayrhofer | para-snowboarding | male | slalom, snowboard cross | |
| Gernot Morgenfurts | para-alpine skiing | male | vision impaired | Super-G, super combined, slalom, giant slalom |
| Nico Pajantschitsch | para-alpine skiing | male | standing | downhill, Super-G, super combined, slalom, giant slalom |
| Roman Rabl | para-alpine skiing | male | sitting | downhill, super combined, slalom, giant slalom |
| Markus Salcher | para-alpine skiing | male | downhill, Super-G, super combined, giant slalom | |
| Reinhold Schett | para-snowboarding | male | slalom, snowboard cross | |
| Simon Wallner | para-alpine skiing | male | sitting | downhill, Super-G, super combined, slalom, giant slalom |
| Martin Würz | para-alpine skiing | male | standing | super combined, Super-G, slalom, giant slalom |
Before the Games, Petra Huber, the Secretary General, and Julia Voglmayr, the Chef de Mission, visited South Korea. They met with leaders from 32 other countries in March 2017.
Medals and Rewards
Austrian athletes who won medals at the 2018 Winter Paralympics received a cash reward. This reward was between €4,000 and €8,000.
Para-alpine Skiing
Para-alpine skiing involves different types of downhill races. Athletes compete in categories based on their disability, such as sitting, standing, or vision impaired.
Key Skiers
Gernot Morgenfurts started skiing in 2015 after his multiple sclerosis (a condition affecting the brain and spinal cord) worsened. He began competing internationally in 2016. Because he has problems with his sight, he needs a guide skier. For the 2018 Games, his guide was Christoph Gmeiner. They use headsets to talk during races. The Pyeongchang 2018 Games were his first big international competition.
Thomas Grochar is a standing skier. He won a silver medal at the end of the 2016/2017 World Cup season.
Competition Schedule
Skiers had training runs for the downhill race on March 7. Practice runs on March 8 and 9 were cancelled.
The first para-alpine event was the downhill race on March 10. Austrian skiers like Claudia Lösch, Markus Salcher, Nico Pajantschitsch, Roman Rabl, and Simon Wallner were set to compete.
The Super-G race took place on March 11. Many Austrian skiers, including Claudia Lösch, Markus Salcher, Thomas Grochar, and Gernot Morgenfurt with his guide Christoph Gmeiner, participated.
The super combined event happened on March 13. This race has two parts: a Super-G in the morning and a slalom in the afternoon.
The slalom event was held on March 14 and 15. Both women and men raced. Austrian skiers like Claudia Lösch, Heike Eder, and Gernot Morgenfurt with his guide were registered.
The final para-alpine skiing race was the giant slalom on March 17 and 18. Many Austrian athletes, including Claudia Lösch, Heike Eder, and Markus Salcher, were scheduled to start.
Race Results
In the men's downhill standing race, Markus Salcher of Austria won a bronze medal. Theo Gmur of Switzerland won gold, and Arthur Bauchet of France won silver.
In the women's Super-G sitting race, Claudia Loesch of Austria won a silver medal. Anna Schaffelhuber of Germany won gold, and Momoka Muraoka of Japan won bronze.
In the men's Super-G standing race, Markus Salcher of Austria won another bronze medal. Theo Gmur of Switzerland won gold, and Arthur Bauchet of France won silver.
Para-Nordic Skiing
Para-Nordic skiing includes cross-country skiing. Athletes compete in different categories, often with guides if they have vision impairments.
Key Skiers
Carina Edlinger is blind. Her brother, Julian, is her guide skier. She first competed for Austria in 2016. At the 2017 World Championships in Finsterau, Germany, Carina won two gold medals and one bronze medal. She was also named "Rookie of the Year" at a sports awards ceremony in 2017.
Competition Schedule
On March 12, Carina Edlinger and her guide Julian Edlinger were scheduled to start in the 15 km race for standing and vision impaired women.
They were also scheduled for the sprint classic qualification on March 14. This event includes qualification, semifinals, and finals.
The classic race took place on March 17. Carina and Julian were scheduled to participate in the 7.5 km race for standing and visually impaired women.
Para-snowboarding
Para-snowboarding involves different types of races on a snowboard.
Competition Schedule
Patrick Mayrhofer and Reinhold Schett were scheduled to compete in the snowboard cross event on March 12. This race involves athletes racing down a course with various features.
The slalom race was scheduled for March 16. Both Patrick Mayrhofer and Reinhold Schett were set to start in this event.
Social Space
Austria, Switzerland, and Germany teamed up to host a special place called "Alpenhaus" in Pyeongchang. This was a place where athletes and their teams could celebrate winning Paralympic medals.
See also
In Spanish: Austria en los Juegos Paralímpicos de Pyeongchang 2018 para niños
