Salt Lake 2002 Paralympics

Salt Lake 2002 Paralympics. The Athletes. , The Athletes , For me, that's the best part about being an athlete; the ability to inspire and motivate other people. Alpine Skier Muffy Davis , On March 7, more than 450 athletes from 36 countries proudly marched into Rice-Eccles Stadium for the Opening Ceremony, with 450 different stories, and 450 different dreams. There was the South Korean team, waving whirly-gigs, and the Canadians, wrapped in warm red and white scarves. There was Chris Devlin-Young, an American alpine skier who had missed the Nagano Games in 1998 and aimed to make up for it in 2002. And Nordic skier Fabienne Kaci of France, a visually impaired racer, who would tape photographs of her family on the inside of her sunglasses. Or the Japanese ice sledge hockey team, competing in its first ever Paralympics. , As the day began to unfold, their stories multiplied, with hundreds of moments of victory and defeat, ecstasy and agony. But at the same time, their tales began to intertwine, as they gathered in the Coffee Shop at the Paralympic Village or rode the shuttles to Snowbasin, Soldier Hollow, or the E Center. They began to learn each other's languages, each other's tremendous capabilities and the light of each other's smiles. And so, on March 16, they streamed into Olympic Medals Plaza for the Closing Ceremony not as separate countries of individuals, but as one entity, united by the power of the mind, body and spirit. , Team Armenia is fired up at the Paralympic Opening Ceremony in Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium, 07 March 2002. , Athletes from 36 countries around the globe attended the 2002 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, pursuing their- dreams, and watching them unfold against the night sky. , After 10 days of awe-inspiring competition, 450 athletes from around the world celebrated with one mind, body and spirit at the Salt Lake 2002 Paralympic Closing Ceremony.