After a jam-packed month in PyeongChang, South Korea, the Winter Olympics and Paralympics have come to a close. And the latter especially saw Team USA dominate the competition, collecting more medals than any other country.
The Paralympics ran from Mar. 9 to Mar. 18, and brought Team USA not only a whooping 36 medals, but also saw them breaking several records and marking a number of historic firsts for the team. Missed the highlights? Here’s a roundup of the most memorable moments of the Paralympics.
1. Team USA had their highest medal haul since 2002.
At the Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, Team USA won 43 medals. Their medal count in PyeongChang is 36, the second-highest total ever, following Salt Lake City and the 1994 games in Lillehammer, Norway, where Team USA also won 43 medals.
2. A record number of athletes participated.
A total of 567 athletes competed in the Paralympics, representing 49 different countries.
3. The Team USA sled hockey team won their third gold medal in a row.
And with that win, they became the first sled hockey team to ever win three consecutive gold medals at the Paralympics. They won thanks to the help of a goal scored in the final minute of the game, scored by Declan Farmer.
4. Eighteen military veterans were a part of Team USA.
They brought home nine medals from the Games.
5. 26 countries overall won medals — a new record.
Over half of the 49 total delegations won medals, with a record 20 winning golds.
6. Oksana Masters made Paralympic history for Team USA with her five medals.
Cross-country skier Masters became the most decorated female Paralympian in history, with five medals won in PyeongChang, two in Sochi and one in London (for rowing.) She carried the U.S. flag at the closing ceremonies.
7. Kendall Gretsch won a biathlon gold medal.
It was the first medal for Team USA in the sport at either the Paralympics or the Olympics.
8. Team USA snowboarders increased their medal count from Sochi.In PyeongChang, they won 13 medals — over a third of Team USA’s total medal count — which is an increase of four from the 2014 games.
9. Team USA cross-country skiers did really well, too.
They won 16 medals, which is a leap of 11 medals from their previous record of five in 2002.
10. Every single day of the Paralympics, Team USA led the medal count.
The Games lasted for nine days, and they led the gold medal count each day of the games, too.
11. By the fifth day of the Winter Paralympics, Team USA surpassed their medal count from Sochi.Team USA won 18 medals in Sochi in 2014.
