It’s now 3000 days until the Opening Ceremony of the 2034 Paralympic Winter Games!
Utah 2034 officials celebrated the milestone on Monday, Dec. 22, reminiscing on the success of the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games and looking ahead to the opening ceremony on March 10, 2034, when a projected 700 Paralympic athletes from more than 50 nations are expected.
“The 2002 Paralympic Winter Games were magical and became a milestone for the Paralympic Movement,” said Utah 2034 President and Executive Chair Fraser Bullock. “Utah 2034 is looking forward to extending that legacy 3000 days from now.”
The 2034 Games, anticipated to be more than 60% larger than the 2002 Games, will be staged in five competition venues all within one-hour of the Paralympic Village on the University of Utah campus. Utah 2034 organizers aspire to host Games that are elevated in every way – from the athlete experience, the visibility and promotion of Para sport, and the impact to the community and the Paralympic Movement.
The Salt Lake 2002 Organizing Committee became the first to integrate the staging of both the Olympics and Paralympics in one organization. Over 400 athletes from 36 nations took part – the largest field ever at the time. NBC broadcast coverage in 2002 was the broadest ever across the United States.
The 2002 Paralympics produced many memorable moments.
Norway’s Ragnhild Myklebust capped a stellar career by winning her 27th medal – a career record that still stands. Germany burst through to lead the medals table, while Japan captured its first Winter Paralympic gold. Led by sit-skier Sarah Will, Team USA led the alpine skiing medals. And in one of the most exhilarating moments for home country fans, Team USA’s sled hockey team took a thrilling gold to close out the Games.
The 2002 Games saw dramatic improvements in sport performance, setting the stage for significant growth of the Paralympic Movement over the following decades.
In front of 25,000 spectators at the closing ceremony in downtown Salt Lake City, alpine sit skier Chris Waddell gave an electrifying athlete presentation. He spoke to the principle of athletes first, disability second – recounting how the 2002 Games had helped change public perception.
“I moved here to be part of the buildup to the 2002 Games,” said Waddell. “As a Paralympian, I felt a sense of ownership and responsibility for the success of the Paralympics. Being part of the organizing committee was an opportunity to be close to and hopefully to influence the decision makers.” Today, Waddell remains a highly visible advocate and is active on the Utah 2034 Steering Committee.
Nearly a quarter century after the 2002 Games, Utah has become a center for adaptive sport. Programs like the National Ability Center, TRAILS Adaptive Sports, Wasatch Adaptive, and Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports have become vital cogs in the adaptive sports story through both their programs and research.
One of the stars of those 2002 Paralympics, Paralympic Hall of Famer Tanja Kari of Finland, closed out her 12-medal career in Salt Lake City, taking three gold medals and a bronze. Today, Kari is program director for TRAILS Adaptive Sports and a project administrator at the University of Utah, working on innovative adaptive projects.
“The 2002 Paralympics were perfectly delivered and an amazing experience for the athletes,” said Kari. “The community and the people came to see our athletic performances and to celebrate our accomplishments. That had a profound impact on me! It’s a legacy that inspired me, and the entire adaptive sports community.”
The 2034 Paralympic Winter Games are scheduled March 10-19. The upcoming 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will be held in Milano Cortina March 6-15.