Two more gold medals for Swiss in Paralympics
The Swiss team have won two additional gold medals at the eighth Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, bringing the total to three.
Four-time paralympian, Hans Burn, won Switzerland’s second gold medal in the downhill race. Burn was competing in the LW4 category, open to athletes with disabilities in one lower limb, and which involves skiing with two skis and two poles.
“It was really great!” Burn said after the race. “I enjoyed the slope very much. I can’t say how lucky I am.”
Since losing his left foot in a motorcycle accident, Burn has taken the gold six times and scooped up eight World Championship medals.
Lucky run
Teammate Rolf Heinzmann had a lucky run in the Snowbasin ski area, taking the gold with a narrow 0.01 second lead over the silver medallist, France’s Lionel Brun.
Heinzmann, who lost his right-arm in an farming accident, was performing in the LW6/8 downhill category. This event is reserved for athletes with disabilities in one upper limb, skiing with two normal skis and one pole. The disability must be such that the functional use of more than one pole is not possible.
During this year’s Winter Paralympics, 36 countries are competing in 100 different events. Switzerlands’ tally now stands at three gold medals.
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