Presenting Park City’s Paralympians for Beijing 2022

Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games. The three-sided International Paralympic Committee (IPC) symbol represents: Mind, Body, and Spirit. Photo: Michele Roepke

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced the names of the 67 athletes who will represent America in the Beijing 2002 Paralympic Winter Games today.

Athletes with disabilities and sports for athletes with disabilities often refer to synonymous terms like ‘adaptive’ and ‘para.’ Para refers to the parallel, or equal, relationship the Paralympics have to the Olympics.

The following athletes have strong Park City connections and are a proud part of the “Adaptive Nation.” 

ALPINE SKIING

• Danelle Umstead
  • Rob Umstead
• Matthew Brewer
• Ravi Druggan
• Andrew Haragehy
• Jesse Keefe
• Arly Velasquez (MEX)
• Orlando Perez (PUR)

SNOWBOARDING

• Tyler Burdick
• Keith Gabel
• Brenna Huckaby
• Brittani Coury

BIATHLON

• Drew Shea

The USOC changed its name to the USOPC in 2019, embracing the growing global para-sports movement.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games will host its Opening Ceremony on March 4.  In addition to the abovementioned sports, international athletes will compete in cross country, sled hockey, and wheelchair curling before the Closing Ceremony on March 13, all broadcasted on the networks of NBC. 

Salt Lake City 2002 was the first Winter Paralympics hosted in the United States.