Paralympic glory.Skier Muffy Davis will barrel down the slopes of Utah at 70 miles an hour this month, chasing a gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize for the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . The fact that Davis is paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. from the chest down hasn't put the brakes on her dream. Davis is one of the leading U.S. medal hopefuls in the Paralympics, which run from March 7 to 16. The Paralympics, a companion ever to the Winter Olympics, are for disabled athletes. Some Paralympic competitors are visually impifired, some have lost arm or legs, and others, like Davis, are paralyzed. But they are all worldclass athletes. Davis now 29, broke her back in a 1989 skiing accident. At the time, she was an Olympic hopeful who was challenging the likes of U.S. ski-team star Picabo Street Picabo Street (born April 3, 1971, in Triumph, Idaho) is an American skier, now retired and living in Park City, Utah. She was raised on a small farm in Triumph, several miles southeast of Sun Valley, Idaho, where she learned to ski and race. . Now Davis competes using a mono-ski, which is a seat mounted on a single regular ski. The Salt Lake City Games will be the eighth Winter Paralympics, and the first to be held in the U.S. Nearly 1,000 athletes from 36 countries will compete in downhill and cross-country skiing cross-country skiing Skiing in open country over rolling, hilly terrain. It originated in Scandinavia as a means of travel as well as recreation. The skies used are longer, narrower, and lighter than those used in Alpine skiing, and bindings allow more heel movement. and hockey. Davis says she has one goal "Winning it in my own country." Other stars of the U.S. team include downhill mono-skiers Sarah Will, 36, who has won eight Paralympic gold medals, and Christopher Waddell, 33, who has won five. Waddell also grabbed a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Paralympics as a wheelchair racer. Joe Howard, 35, leads the underdog U.S. hockey team. Team members compete on sledges--seats attached to hockey skate Noun 1. hockey skate - an ice skate worn for playing hockey; has a short blade and a strong boot to protect the feet and ankles ice skate - skate consisting of a boot with a steel blade fitted to the sole blades. Howard set a Paralympics record with six goals in a 1998 game. |
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