Australia at the 2006 Winter Paralympics

Australia at the
2006 Winter Paralympics
IPC codeAUS
NPCAustralian Paralympic Committee
Websitewww.paralympic.org.au
in Turin
Competitors10 in 3 sports
Flag bearerOpening Ceremony: Michael Milton Closing Ceremony: Toby Kane[1]
Medals
Ranked 13th
Gold
0
Silver
1
Bronze
1
Total
2
Winter Paralympics appearances (overview)

Australia participated in the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Torino, Italy, from 10 to 19 March 2006. The Turin games represented Australia's ninth appearance at the Winter Paralympic Games. Australia were represented by 10 athletes, which made it their largest ever Winter Paralympic Games contingent.[2] Australia competed in three sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, and cross-country skiing, but not ice sledge hockey or wheelchair curling. Prior to the games, the Australian Paralympic Committee set a target of two medals, down from the seven that were won four years earlier in Salt Lake City. This was due to the retirement of three-time medallist Bart Bunting, as well as changes made to the disability classification system.[3] This target was met with Australia winning a silver and a bronze medal to finish equal 13th on the medal tally.

Notable Australian performances included:

  • Emily Jansen, a below-knee amputee skier, was Australia's first ever female Winter Paralympic competitor.
  • James Millar, who was born without his right forearm, was Australia's first Paralympic Cross-Country skier since Peter Rickards in 1980. He also competed in the Biathlon.
  • Michael Milton, a leg amputee skier, who won a silver medal in the standing downhill competition in his fifth and final Winter Paralympic Games.
  • Toby Kane, a leg amputee skier, who at 19 years old was the youngest member of the Australian team. He won a bronze medal in the standing Super-G.
  1. ^ "Toby the Torch Bearer ready to go!". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 13 March 2010. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  2. ^ "2005/06 Australian Paralympic Committee Annual Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-09.
  3. ^ Sydney Morning Herald: Aussie Paralympians expect fewer medals March 8, 2006.