1994 Winter Paralympics

VI Paralympic Winter Games
Location	Lillehammer, Norway
Motto	No Limits; (Norwegian: Ingen Grenser)
Nations	31
Athletes	471
Events	133 in 5 sports
Opening	10 March
Closing	19 March
Opened by	Queen Sonja
Cauldron	Helge Bjørnstad
Stadium	Håkons Hall
	Winter ← Tignes/Albertville 1992 Nagano 1998 → Summer ← Barcelona/Madrid 1992 Atlanta 1996 → 1994 Winter Olympics

The 1994 Winter Paralympics (Norwegian: Paralympiske vinterleker 1994; Nynorsk: Paralympiske vinterleikane 1994), the sixth Paralympic Winter Games, were held in Lillehammer, Norway, from 10 to 19 March 1994. These Games marked the second time the Paralympic Winter Games were held in the same location as the Winter Olympics and with the first with the same Organizing Committee, a tradition that has continued through an agreement of cooperation between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Ice sledge hockey, which became an immediate crowd favorite, was added to the program.

These Paralympic Games are the only to be held two years after the previous Games due to the shift in the Summer and Winter games schedule. The 1994 Winter Games were the first Paralympic Games organized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

Visual identity

The Games were represented by an emblem depicting the sun people. This image portrayed the ideas of power, vitality, strength and energy, all of which are characteristics of the athletes who took part.

Mascot

The characteristics of the emblem were also to be found in the mascot Sondre, the troll. Sondre, who was also an amputee, was the result of a nationwide school competition won by Janne Solem. The mascot was then designed to its final appearance by Tor Lindrupsen. The name for the mascot was chosen in a separate competition and derives from the great skiing pioneer Sondre Nordheim.

Sports

The 1994 Paralympics consisted 133 events in five disciplines in four sports. Ice sledge hockey made its Paralympic debut as the first winter team sport at these games.^[1]

Alpine skiing
Sledge hockey
Ice sledge racing
Nordic skiing
- Biathlon
- Cross-country skiing

Medal table

The top 10 NPCs by number of gold medals are listed below. The host nation (Norway) is highlighted.


Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Norway*	29	22	13	64
2	Germany	25	21	18	64
3	United States	24	12	7	43
4	France	14	6	11	31
5	Russia	10	12	8	30
6	Austria	7	16	12	35
7	Finland	6	7	12	25
8	Sweden	3	3	2	8
9	Australia	3	2	4	9
10	New Zealand	3	0	3	6
Totals (10 entries)		124	101	90	315

Participants

Thirty-one National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) entered athletes at the 1994 Winter Paralympics. The number in parentheses indicates the number of participants from each NPC.^[2]