Paralympic Team celebrates as Winter Games draws to a close

New Zealand Paralympic Team celebrates as the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games draws to a close

• New Zealand finishes with 3 medals – 1 GOLD and 2 BRONZE – 1 medal over target
• On the overall medals, New Zealand is currently 16th equal

The entire New Zealand Paralympic Team, led by Adam Hall as flag bearer, are on the bus to the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium in South Korea for the Closing Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. There, they will celebrate the fantastic successes of the past 10 days.

Four-time Paralympian Adam Hall will carry the New Zealand flag into the Closing Ceremony following his most successful Paralympic Winter Games ever. Hall has captured the hearts and minds of New Zealanders with outstanding performances and his emotion filled post-race interviews after winning a gold in the Men’s Slalom Standing and bronze in the Men’s Super Combined Standing events.

Not only will Hall have the honour of the flag bearer responsibility he will also receive the Whang Yuon Dai Achievement Award. This prestigious Award is presented to only one male and one female Paralympian at each Paralympic Games who best exemplify the spirit of the Paralympic Games and the Paralympic values.

This is the first time a New Zealander has ever won this Award and as acknowledgement of his outstanding achievement a 75 gram pure gold medal will be presented to Hall at the Closing ceremony at approximately 12.20am NZT Sunday 18 March.

As the Team reflect on a successful Paralympic Winter Games they will think back to when the Team, led by now bronze medallist, Corey Peters, travelled the exact same path toward the Stadium in a very different frame of mind. Anticipation, excitement and a healthy case of nerves no doubt followed the Team then, a moment now seemingly a lifetime ago.

Today, they return as a Team triumphant. They have beaten their pre-Games medal target of 2 by 1 medal, winning a total of 3 medals (1 gold and 2 bronze). New Zealand currently sits 16th equal on overall medals, holding the same position on the table achieved at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

New Zealand in competition at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games:
• 3 kiwi Paralympians, including 3 returning Paralympians
• Para sports contested – Para alpine skiing and Para snowboarding
• 9 separate events contested across by kiwi Paralympians
• 3 medals won by New Zealand – 1 gold and 2 bronze
• In addition, 4 x top 10 placings
• 2 individual Paralympians secured medals, and increase from 1 during Sochi 2014
• 16th equal in the world overall in medals (as at 4.30pm KST)
• New Zealand has now won at total of 31 winter Paralympic medal, made up of 16 gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze medals. In total the country has won 221 Paralympic medal across both the winter and summer Games.
• The New Zealand Paralympic Winter Games Team have not won multiple medals at a Paralympic Winter Games since the Salt Lake City 2002 Paralympic Winter Games.

Paralympics New Zealand is delighted to advise that the New Zealand Paralympic Team will be in arrivals at Auckland Airport on Wednesday 21 March from 9.00am (NZ90).

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