DENVER — Ten Colorado athletes were named Monday to the 2022 U.S. Paralympic Team that will compete next month at the Winter Games in Beijing.
In fact, Colorado has more athletes than any other state on the U.S. team for the Paralympics, which take place Friday, March 4 through Sunday, March 13. In total, 67 U.S. athletes, including two guides for visually impaired athletes, will compete at the Games.
After Colorado, the states with the most athletes are Utah (7), Massachusetts (6) and Minnesota (5).
“With a mix of veteran athletes and rising stars, we can’t wait to support and cheer on Team USA athletes as they live out their dreams,” said Julie Dussliere, chief of Paralympic sport and 2022 Games Chef de Mission, according to Team USA. “The USOPC and the National Governing Bodies are dedicated to making the entire journey a safe and seamless process for our athletes.”
There will be 39 medal events for men, 35 for women and four mixed events across six sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, sled hockey, snowboarding and wheelchair curling.
The Colorado athletes who will compete are:
- Jasmin Bambur, of Granby, in alpine skiing
- Tyler Carter, of Colorado Springs, in alpine skiing
- Ralph DeQuebec, of Denver, in sled hockey
- Allie Johnson, of Fraser, in alpine skiing
- Malik Jones, of Aurora, in sled hockey
- Zach Miller, of Silverthorne, in snowboarding
- Mike Minor, of Frisco, in snowboarding
- Kyle Taulman, of Golden, in alpine skiing
- Thomas Walsh, of Vail, in alpine skiing
- Pam Wilson, of Denver, in wheelchair curling
The most experienced Paralympian among the Colorado athletes is Bambur, 42, who was born in Serbia and will be competing in his fourth Games. The alpine skier has competed in super-G, giant slalom, downhill and super combined, but has yet to make it onto the podium.
Other returnees are Carter, 28, who's going to his third Games; and DeQuebec, 38, Minor, 31, and Walsh, 27, who are each going to their second Games.
Minor is one of 26 athletes on the U.S. team who has already earned Paralympic medals, having won gold in banked slalom and bronze in snowboardcross at the 2018 Games.
Miller, 22, is making his Paralympic debut, but he took gold in dual banked slalom at the 2021 World Championships in Lillehammer.
At 66 years old, Wilson is the oldest member of Team USA. She was looking for a new sport to challenge her in 2010 and started training at the Denver Curling Club. She made her World Championship debut in 2019, according to Team USA.
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