Switzerland at the 2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids
Switzerland sent a team to the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. This big event brings together athletes with disabilities from all over the world. Switzerland's team had 31 people in total. Out of these, 13 were athletes ready to compete. They took part in three exciting sports: para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, and wheelchair curling.
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Meet the Swiss Team
The Swiss team for the 2018 Winter Paralympics had 13 amazing athletes. These athletes competed in para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, and wheelchair curling. Besides the athletes, 18 other people were part of the team. These included coaches, managers, and officials who helped everything run smoothly.
Felix Wagner had the special job of carrying the Swiss flag during the Opening Ceremonies. Luana Bergamin was the "Chef-de-Mission," which means she was the main leader of the team. Luana hoped that Switzerland would win at least three medals at the Games.
Here are the athletes who were part of Team Switzerland for the 2018 Games:
| Name | Sport | Hometown | Classification | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beatrix Blauel | wheelchair curling | Bâle | wheelchair curling open class | mixed team |
| Marcel Bodenmann | wheelchair curling | Pfungen | wheelchair curling open class | mixed team |
| Michael Brügger | para-alpine skiing | Plasselb | standing | |
| Hans Burgener | wheelchair curling | Grindelwald | wheelchair curling open class | mixed team |
| Robin Cuche | para-alpine skiing | Saules | standing | |
| Theo Gmür | para-alpine skiing | Haute-Nendaz | standing | |
| Claudia Hüttenmoser | wheelchair curling | Goldach | wheelchair curling open class | mixed team |
| Christoph Kunz | para-alpine skiing | Reichenbach | sitting | |
| Murat Pelit | para-alpine skiing | Stabio | sitting | |
| Thomas Pfyl | para-alpine skiing | Schwyz | standing | |
| Luca Tavasci | para-Nordic skiing | Samedan | standing | |
| Stephani Victor | para-alpine skiing | Les Angeles | sitting | |
| Felix Wagner | wheelchair curling | Russikon | wheelchair curling open class | mixed team |
Switzerland and Germany shared a special meeting place during the Paralympics. It was called "Maison des Alpes." This was a place where fans, athletes, journalists, and others could meet and chat. It even had a Swiss restaurant inside!
Para-Alpine Skiing Highlights
Who are the Skiers?
Christoph Kunz was one of the experienced skiers on the team. He arrived in Pyeongchang already holding two gold medals from past Winter Paralympic Games.
What was the Schedule?
The para-alpine skiers had practice runs for the downhill race on March 7. However, their practice runs on March 8 and 9 were cancelled.
The downhill race was the first event for para-alpine skiing. It took place on March 10. The Super-G race followed on March 11. The super combined event happened on March 13, with the Super-G part in the morning and the slalom part in the afternoon. The slalom event was on March 14 and 15. The last para-alpine skiing race was the giant slalom, held on March 17 and 18.
How did the Skiers Do?
Theo Gmür was a big star for Switzerland! He won a gold medal in the men's downhill standing race. He also won another gold medal in the men's Super-G standing race. These were fantastic achievements for the Swiss team.
Para-Nordic Skiing
Luca Tavasci was the athlete representing Switzerland in para-Nordic skiing.
Wheelchair Curling
The Swiss national wheelchair curling team included Felix Wagner, Claudia Hüttenmoser-Pfister, Marcel Bodenmann, Beatrix Blauel, and Hans Burgener. Felix Wagner was the team's skip, which is like the captain.
This strong team had won the 2016 Wheelchair Curling World Championships. This win earned them the right to compete at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. To get ready for the Games, the team played in five international tournaments. These tournaments were held in places like Copenhagen, Wetzikon, Stirling in Scotland, Richmond in British Columbia, and Ottawa. The team was sponsored by B. Braun Medical SA.
The wheelchair curling competition began on March 10. Switzerland played against Sweden on March 15.
See also
In Spanish: Suiza en los Juegos Paralímpicos de Pyeongchang 2018 para niños
