Disabled skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics facts for kids
Disabled skiing made its first appearance as an Olympic demonstration sport at the 1984 Winter Olympics. This was a special chance to show off the skills of disabled skiers to a wider audience. The event featured alpine giant slalom races for men.
Skiers competed in four different categories based on their physical abilities. Even though medals were given out, these events were just for demonstration. This meant the medals did not count towards the official country medal totals for the Olympics. These exciting races happened alongside the main 1984 Winter Paralympics events in Innsbruck. Disabled skiing was also a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics. In 1984, 29 disabled skiers from 11 different countries took part.
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Medal Winners in Disabled Skiing
This table shows which countries won medals in the disabled skiing events. Remember, these were demonstration medals.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Austria (AUT) |
1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 |  West Germany (FRG) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 |  Switzerland (SUI) |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 |  Sweden (SWE) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 |  United States (USA) |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 6 |  Norway (NOR) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (6 entries) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | |
Men's Giant Slalom for Single-Leg Amputees
This race was for skiers who had one leg amputated. They showed incredible balance and speed on the slopes.
| Rank | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Spitz (FRG) |
1:08.05 |
| 2 | Reiner Bergman (AUT) |
1:09.91 |
| 3 | David Jamison (USA) |
1:10.18 |
| 4 | Michael Hipp (FRG) |
1:12.15 |
| 5 | Peter Perner (AUT) |
1:12.32 |
| 6 |  Patrick Knaff (FRA) |
1:12.55 |
| 7 |  Chew Philip (CAN) |
1:12.92 |
| 8 | Greg Oswald (CAN) |
1:13.81 |
| 9 | Ola Rylander (SWE) |
1:14.94 |
| 10 |  Rajko Strzinar (YUG) |
1:18.69 |
| 11 |  Jordi Faurat Prat (ESP) |
1:24.46 |
Men's Giant Slalom for Above-Knee Amputees
This category included skiers with an amputation above the knee. They used special techniques to navigate the course.
| Rank | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Markus Ramsauer (AUT) |
1:02.66 |
| 2 | Josef Meusburger (AUT) |
1:04.90 |
| 3 | Bill Latimer (USA) |
1:05.41 |
| 4 | Eugen Diethelm (SUI) |
1:06.04 |
| 5 | Paul Fournier (SUI) |
1:07.10 |
Men's Giant Slalom for Single-Arm Amputees
Skiers in this group competed with one arm amputated. They showed amazing control and balance without the use of both poles.
| Rank | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Neukomm (SUI) |
1:02.19 |
| 2 | Dietmar Schweninger (AUT) |
1:03.04 |
| 3 | Rolf Heinzmann (SUI) |
1:03.25 |
| 4 | Heinz Moser (SUI) |
1:03.66 |
| 5 | Reed Robinson (USA) |
1:04.78 |
| 6 | Sreco Kos (YUG) |
1:05.32 |
| 7 | Franc Komar (YUG) |
1:08.40 |
| 8 | Stefan Ahacic (YUG) |
1:10.57 |
Men's Giant Slalom for Double-Arm Amputees
This race featured skiers with both arms amputated. Their ability to ski at high speeds without arm support was truly inspiring.
| Rank | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lars Lundstroem (SWE) |
1:05.09 |
| 2 | Felix Abele (FRG) |
1:05.91 |
| 3 | Cato Zahl Pedersen (NOR) |
1:06.21 |
| 4 | Niko Mull (FRG) |
1:06.44 |
| 5 | Felix Gisler (SUI) |
1:08.38 |
