The Winter Paralympics are set to take place in Pyeongchang, with the opening ceremony on Friday and competition starting the following day.
The event will feature 670 athletes competing for 80 medals across six sports.
Paralympians will be represented by Bandabi, an Asiatic black bear, who is the official mascot of the 2018 Winter Paralympics. Mascots are a traditional part of all Olympic Games: this year’s mascot for the February events in PyeongChang is Soohorang the white tiger.
Asian black bears are native to parts of the Himalayas, China, Korea, Russia, Japan and India, and are classified as a vulnerable species. They have distinctive markings: all black fur with a white patch on the chest and chin. Bandabi is “symbolic of strong will and courage,” according to the Paralympic site, with his name combining Korean-language references to the white markings on his chest and to the celebration of the Games themselves.
The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) has selected 13 athletes who will hunt for Australia’s first Paralympic Winter gold medal since 2002 at the PyeongChang 2018 Games beginning on March 9.
Co-captained by World Champion and two-time Paralympian Mitchell Gourley (Para-alpine skiing) and double IPC Crystal Globe holder Joany Badenhorst (Para-snowboard), the Australian Team will comprise of four Para-snowboarders, seven Para-alpine skiers plus two sighted guides.
More details are available on audio news.
