Skip to main content
12221
Chatbot Button Back to International Paralympic Committee homepage Go to PyeongChang 2018
Contrast:
High Contrast
Normal Contrast
Enlargement:
Larger Font Size
Default Font Size
Smaller Font Size
    • Home
    • Watch
    • News
    • Schedule & Results
    • Highlights
    • Sports
    • Countries
    • Athletes
    • Venues
    • About
    • Tickets
    • Samsung Bloggers
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    PyeongChang 2018: Top 5 debuts

    20.03.2018

    South Korean goaltender and US snowboarder among those who had Games to remember

    a male Para sit skier crosses the line and celebrates Taras Rad was one of several teenage talents to win gold on their Paralympic debut © • Getty Images
    By IPC
    Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker

    Some athletes lived up to their pre-PyeongChang hype. While others came out of the blue.

    Here are five who made their mark at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

    Theo Gmur, Switzerland, alpine skiing

    Gmur has become the new man to chase in the men’s standing category. The 21-year-old showed his talents in the 2017-18 World Cup circuit but was a relative unknown prior to this season.

    That is not the case after PyeongChang 2018, where he backed up his overall crystal globe accolade with three Paralympic gold medals.

    Gmur won the downhill, giant slalom and super-G events at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre. A mistake in the super-G of the super combined cost him an opportunity for a fourth medal. After his early success, Gmur did not race in the final event – slalom – to avoid injury or burnout.

    Brenna Huckaby, USA, snowboard

    As one of the USA’s most high-profile winter athletes, Huckaby came in with plenty of expectations and media attention on her Paralympic debut.

    The 22-year-old did not disappoint.

    Huckaby added the Paralympic golds to her World Championship titles in snowboard-cross and banked slalom. She is also the overall World Cup winner in the women’s SB-LL1.

    Jae-Woong Lee, South Korea, Para ice hockey

    The goaltender was huge in helping his team make history for his country.

    Lee made the start net for South Korea on his 22nd birthday and recorded a magnificent shutout performance with nine saves on the day.

    South Korea defeated Italy for the bronze for its first Paralympic medal in the sport. Lee played in three games with 38 saves and a 77.5 save percentage.

    Taras Rad, Ukraine, biathlon

    The three-time biathlon World Championships silver medallist finally broke for gold in PyeongChang. Rad first showed his potential in the 2016-17 World Cup tour where he finished second in the overall biathlon rankings. At 18 years old, he won the men’s 12.5km sitting Paralympic gold.

    Natalie Wilkie, Canada, cross-country

    At 17, Wilkie left her first Paralympics with two medals: gold in the women’s 7.5km classic and bronze in the 1.5km sprint classic standing. She has only been competing since December but her cross-country talents date way back.

    She competed at the national level and in June 2016 lost four fingers of her left hand during a woodwork class.

    The official website for PyeongChang 2018 can be found here.

    Related News
    PyeongChang 2018: Overtime thriller sees USA beat Canada
    PyeongChang 2018: Fitzpatrick ends Farkasova’s golden run
    PyeongChang 2018: Top five moments of the Games
    PyeongChang 2018: Top quotes of the Games
    PyeongChang 2018: Top five medal winners
    PyeongChang 2018: Last minute surprises on final day
    PyeongChang 2018: Closing Ceremony praises record-breaking Games
    PyeongChang 2018: IPC President's Closing Ceremony Speech
    PyeongChang 2018: 5 athletes looking to bounce back
    PyeongChang 2018: Top 5 surprises
    • Tweet
      • print
      • send
    LATEST NEWS
    Nadezhda Fedorova suspended for anti-doping violation 05.08.2019 Nadezhda Fedorova suspended for anti-doping violation
    Nottwil 2019: USA top table as Junior Worlds conclude 05.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: USA top table as Junior Worlds conclude
    Nottwil 2019: Breathless third day 04.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: Breathless third day
    Nottwil 2019: Noah Malone makes his way 03.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: Noah Malone makes his way
    Vote for July’s Athlete of the Month 02.08.2019 Vote for July’s Athlete of the Month
    More news...following the link
    Worldwide Paralympic Partners
    Go to Atos partner page
    Go to Bridgestone partner page
    Go to OttoBock partner page
    Go to Panasonic partner page
    Go to Samsung partner page
    Go to Toyota partner page
    Go to Visa partner page
    International Partners
    Go to Allianz partner page
    Go to BP partner page
    Go to Citi partner page
    • FAQ
    • Privacy
    • Imprint
    • Jobs
    Powered by Go to Atos. Worldwide IPC partner page
    The Paralympic Games
    Summer Games
    Winter Games
    Sochi 2014
    Rio 2016
    All the results & medallist since 1960
    Games video archive
    About the IPC
    Who we are
    Anti-Doping
    Medical
    Partners
    IPC Strategic Plan 2015-2018
    IPC Handbook
    Publications and Documents
    Media Centre
    News
    Features & Interviews
    The Paralympian
    Videos
    Athlete of the Month
    Media Office
    Sports
    Summer Sports
    Winter Sports
    Biographies
    NPCS
    Africa
    America
    Asia
    Europe
    Oceania
    Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage
    Official Website of the Paralympic Movement • IPC
    Homepage
    Paralympic Games
    The IPC
    Results, Ranking & Records
    Media Centre
    Videos
    Sports
    International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
    Adenauerallee 212-214, 53113 Bonn, Germany
    Telephone: +49-228-2097-200 • Fax: +49-228-2097-209 • E-mail: info@paralympic.org
    09:53:19