The PyeongChang Paralympic Games kicks off tonight March 9 until March 18. Who are Australia’s big chances? These athletes are.
MITCH GOURLEY
Standing alpine skiing (downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G, super combined): Medal-less after two Games, Gourley heads into PyeongChang as super combined world champion. Ranked in the top 10 for all disciplines.
MELISSA PERRINE
Standing alpine skiing (downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G, super combined): Has claimed medals in all four of her previous World Cup competitions, including a slalom gold in December. Top five rankings in three events.
JOANY BADENHORST
Snowboarding (cross, banked slalom): Has 22 World Cup and three world championship medals since Sochi 2014, when she failed to compete after being seriously injured in a training crash. Topped her classification (LL2) in World Cup points across the two disciplines this season.
SIMON PATMORE
Snowboarding (cross, banked slalom): An athletics Paralympic bronze medallist in 200m T46, the 30-year-old began competing on the snow in 2014. Has risen to fifth in the world in slalom and sixth in cross, in which he claimed a World Cup gold this season.
BEN TUDHOPE
Snowboarding (cross, banked slalom): Competed in Sochi as a 14 year old. Has not been outside the top 10 in seven top-tier events this season.
