2010 Winter Paralympics — multi-parasport event in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada
The 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver and Whistler marked Canada's first hosting of the Winter Paralympic Games, featuring historic individual performances across ten days of competition.
Key Facts
- Dates
- March 12–21, 2010
- Host venues
- Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia
- Canadian gold medals (Woolstencroft)
- 5 gold medals in alpine skiing
- German gold medals (Bentele)
- 5 gold medals in biathlon and cross-country skiing
- First Winter & Summer Paralympic gold
- Viviane Forest (Canada)
- Canada's prior Paralympic hosting
- 1976 Summer Paralympics, Toronto
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Vancouver and Whistler were selected to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, representing Canada's second overall hosting of the Paralympics following the 1976 Summer Games in Toronto. The events were planned to follow the Winter Olympics, using the same venues and infrastructure already constructed for elite winter sport.
The tenth Paralympic Winter Games ran from March 12 to 21, 2010, in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada. Athletes competed across multiple parasports including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and biathlon. The opening ceremony was held at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, and the closing ceremony took place at Whistler Medals Plaza.
The Games produced several notable firsts: Viviane Forest became the first Paralympian to win gold at both Summer and Winter Games; Lauren Woolstencroft and Verena Bentele each claimed five gold medals, setting the individual gold record for the 2010 Games; and Brian McKeever became the first athlete simultaneously named to both a Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics team in the same year.
Result
at BC Place Stadium (opening); Whistler Medals Plaza (closing)