How many sports in the Winter Paralympics? What is each sport and are there any new events for Beijing 2022

The 2022 Winter Paralympic Games kicked off on March 4 and is set to come to an end this Sunday (March 13).

The Beijing tournament comes only a matter of weeks after the Winter Olympics and mainly consists of the same sports, however the Paralympians have nine less events to compete in.

The 2022 Paralympics consists of six sports - Para Alpine Skiing, Para Ice Hockey, Para Nordic Skiing (Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon), Para Snowboard and Wheelchair Curling, with a total of 78 medal events all together.

Here is an introduction to each sport taking place in Beijing...

Para Alpine Skiing

Alpine disciplines at the Paralympic Winter Games are downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super giant slalom and super combined.

Perhaps the most entertaining of the disciplines is the downhill - competitors are required to pass through a series of checkpoints on a vertical drop between 450m and 800m.

The degree of the drop and number and location of the gates vary depending on the discipline.

An athlete’s results are factored to take their degree of impairment into account when calculating their time.

Para Ice Hockey

The Paralympic version of ice hockey has become one of the most popular events to watch due to it’s fast pace and physicality.

The sport is played by athletes with a physical impairment in the lower part of their body and players use double-blade sledges that allow the puck to pass beneath.

Players use two sticks with a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting.

Para Nordic Skiing

Para Nordic skiing consists of two disciplines, cross-country skiing and biathlon.

Visually impaired cross-country skiers compete with a guide, while athletes with a physical impairment compete using either a sit-ski or standing using one or two skis and/or poles.

In the Biathlon, athletes ski three 2.km legs and fire at five targets between each leg using air guns that are mounted on stands.

Para Snowboard

Para snowboarding features snowboard-cross, banked slalom and giant slalom.

The event includes male and female athletes with a physical impairment such as spinal injury, cerebral palsy and amputation.

There are three categories based on the athlete’s functional ability - SB-LL1 and SB-LL2 for lower-limb impaired riders and SB-UL for upper-limb impaired athletes.

Snowboarders are able to use equipment that is adapted to their needs including snowboard and orthopaedic aids.

Wheelchair Curling

Wheelchair curling has similar rules to Olympic curling.

The sport is open to athletes who have a physical impairment in the lower half of their body, including spinal-cord injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and double-leg amputation.

Participants will usually require a wheelchair for daily mobility.