Did you know that
Alpine skiing for people with disabilities began to develop after World War II, when wounded soldiers returning from the front wanted to be able to continue their favorite sport. Slalom and giant slalom competitions were included in the first Paralympic Winter Games in 1976. Downhill competitions were held for the first time at the Paralympic Games in Innsbruck in 1984 and super giant was added in 1994 in Lillehammer.
The 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing became the most representative in the history of the Paralympic Movement: Almost 4,000 athletes from 146 countries competed in these Games.
The Paralympic Games are the second largest sports competition after the Olympic Games. With each edition, the number of those wishing to compete in the Games gets larger and larger. For example, in 1960 400 athletes from 23 countries participated in the Games. For the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, however, these figures have substantially increased to 4200 athletes from 160 countries. Over the years, the number of Paralympic sport disciplines has grown from 57 to 471.
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato became a two-time Olympic champion in the most severe form of competition - pankration.