Tropical nations at the Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
Although traditionally associated with cold weather nations, the Winter Olympics
have also had participation from several tropical nations. The typical climate of these nations is not conducive to participation in winter sport
s, and no Winter Olympic medals have ever been won by a tropical nation. Probably because of that, their entries are a subject of human interest stories
during the Games.
The first participation of a warm weather nation in the Winter Games was Mexico
. Much of Mexico is at a latitude north of the Tropic of Cancer
, and most of the country has a desert
or semi-arid climate, so it is not exclusively a tropical nation. Nonetheless, Mexico made its Winter debut at the 1928 Winter Olympics
with a five-man bobsleigh
team that finished eleventh of twenty-three entrants. Mexico did not return again to the Winter Games until 1984
.
The first truly tropical nation to compete in the Winter Olympic Games is the Philippines
, who sent two alpine skiers
to the 1972 Winter Olympics
in Sapporo, Japan
. Ben Nanasca placed 42nd in the giant slalom
event (out of 73 entrants), but Juan Cipriano did not finish. In the slalom
event, neither skier was able to finish.
Costa Rica
became the second tropical nation to participate at the Winter Games, in 1980
at Lake Placid, New York
, where Arturo Kinch
also competed in alpine skiing events.
Kinch would continue to compete for Costa Rica at three more Winter Games, including the 2006 Games
at age 49. There he finished 96th in the 15 km cross-country skiing
event, ahead of only Prawat Nagvajara
of Thailand
.
The 1988 Winter Olympics
in Calgary
, Canada
attracted a large number of tropical nations, including Costa Rica
, Fiji
, Guam
, Guatemala
, Jamaica
, Netherlands Antilles
, the Philippines
, Puerto Rico
, and the United States Virgin Islands
.
The Jamaican Bobsled Team became a fan favorite at these Games and were later the inspiration behind the 1993 motion picture Cool Runnings
. In the 1994 Games
six years later, the Jamaican four man sled placed a creditable fourteenth
, ahead of the United States and Russia, while a Jamaican bobsledder
won silver for Canada in 2006.
The 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Italy
marked the Winter Games debut of Ethiopia
and Madagascar
, and the 2010 Games
in Vancouver
, Canada
saw the debut of the Cayman Islands
, Colombia
, Peru, and Ghana
.
This list of nations includes those that lie entirely or predominantly within the tropical latitudes
and also have a mostly tropical climate
according to the Köppen climate classification
system. Years of Winter Olympic Games participation are shown.
Other warm weather nations (located in the subtropics
, for example) that have competed in the Winter Games include Australia (which has a tropical far north, and became the first Southern Hemisphere nation to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2002
), Bermuda
, Chinese Taipei
, Hong Kong
, India (which contains a section of the Himalayas
), Mexico, New Zealand
(the first Southern Hemisphere nation to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, in 1992), South Africa
, Swaziland
, Uruguay
and several North Africa
n nations including Algeria
, Egypt
and Morocco
.
Tonga
sought to make its Winter Olympic debut at the 2010 Winter Olympics
by entering a single competitor in luge, attracting some media attention, but he crashed in the final round of qualifying.
, with participation by a single athlete. Tofiri Kibuuka
of Uganda
competed in cross-country skiing
at the inaugural edition of the Winter Paralympics in 1976
and again at the 1980 Games
. After Kibuuka obtained Norwegian nationality, he began to compete for Norway at the Paralympics
starting in 1984, winning several medals in athletics at the Summer Paralympics
.
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
have also had participation from several tropical nations. The typical climate of these nations is not conducive to participation in winter sport
Winter sport
A winter sport is a sport which is played on snow or ice. Most such sports are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally such sports were only played in cold areas during winter, but artificial snow and ice allow more flexibility...
s, and no Winter Olympic medals have ever been won by a tropical nation. Probably because of that, their entries are a subject of human interest stories
Human interest story
A human interest story is a feature story that discusses a person or people in an emotional way. It presents people and their problems, concerns, or achievements in a way that brings about interest or sympathy in the reader or viewer....
during the Games.
The first participation of a warm weather nation in the Winter Games was Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Much of Mexico is at a latitude north of the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
, and most of the country has a desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
or semi-arid climate, so it is not exclusively a tropical nation. Nonetheless, Mexico made its Winter debut at the 1928 Winter Olympics
1928 Winter Olympics
The 1928 Winter Olympics, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 11–19, 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The 1928 Games were the first true Winter Olympics held on its own as they were not in conjunction with a Summer Olympics...
with a five-man bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
team that finished eleventh of twenty-three entrants. Mexico did not return again to the Winter Games until 1984
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
.
The first truly tropical nation to compete in the Winter Olympic Games is the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, who sent two alpine skiers
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
to the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
in Sapporo, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Ben Nanasca placed 42nd in the giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
event (out of 73 entrants), but Juan Cipriano did not finish. In the slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
event, neither skier was able to finish.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
became the second tropical nation to participate at the Winter Games, in 1980
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
at Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, where Arturo Kinch
Arturo Kinch
Arturo Kinch is a customer service representative for United Airlines who has won fame for his inspiring performances as Costa Rica's only skier in Winter Olympic Games history, most recently as a 49-year-old cross-country skier in the 2006 XX Olympic Winter Games.Born the seventh child in a...
also competed in alpine skiing events.
Kinch would continue to compete for Costa Rica at three more Winter Games, including the 2006 Games
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
at age 49. There he finished 96th in the 15 km cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
event, ahead of only Prawat Nagvajara
Prawat Nagvajara
Prawat Nagvajara is a Thai academic and cross-country skier. He is the only person ever to have represented Thailand at the Winter Olympic Games, having taken part in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics. Unsurprisingly, he was therefore his country's flagbearer at the Games' Opening Ceremonies on...
of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
The 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
attracted a large number of tropical nations, including Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
.
The Jamaican Bobsled Team became a fan favorite at these Games and were later the inspiration behind the 1993 motion picture Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings is a 1993 comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut in the bobsleigh competition of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. It stars Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, and Rawle D...
. In the 1994 Games
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
six years later, the Jamaican four man sled placed a creditable fourteenth
Jamaica at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Jamaica competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Six years after their famous first appearance at the Winter Olympics, the Jamaican four sled stunned many of their critics by finishing in 14th place, ahead of the United States, Russia, France and one sled from Italy.* Chris...
, ahead of the United States and Russia, while a Jamaican bobsledder
Lascelles Brown
Lascelles Brown is a Jamaican-born Canadian bobsledder who has competed since 1999 . Competing in three Winter Olympics, he is the first Jamaican-born athlete to win a Winter Olympic medal...
won silver for Canada in 2006.
The 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
marked the Winter Games debut of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, and the 2010 Games
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
saw the debut of the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands at the Olympics
The Cayman Islands first competed at the Olympic Games in 1976, and has participated in each Games since then, missing only the 1980 Summer Olympics by participating in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. The Cayman Islands have yet to win any Olympic medals.After Jamaican...
, Colombia
Colombia at the Olympics
Colombia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1932, and has sent athletes to compete in all but one edition of the Summer Olympic Games since then, missing only the 1952 Games. Colombia has only participated in the Winter Olympic Games in the 2010 Winter Olympics.Colombian athletes have won...
, Peru, and Ghana
Ghana at the Olympics
Ghana first participated at the Olympic Games in 1952, when it was known by the colonial name of Gold Coast. The nation has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then, missing the 1956 Games, boycotting the 1976 Games in protest of the participation of New Zealand , and...
.
List of participating tropical nations
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
and also have a mostly tropical climate
Tropical climate
A tropical climate is a climate of the tropics. In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in which all twelve months have mean temperatures above...
according to the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
system. Years of Winter Olympic Games participation are shown.
| Africa | |
 Cameroon |
2002 |
 Ethiopia |
2006–2010 |
 Ghana |
2010 |
 Kenya |
1998–2006 |
 Madagascar |
2006 |
 Senegal |
1984, 1992–1994, 2006–2010 |
| Caribbean | |
 Cayman Islands |
2010 |
 Jamaica |
1988–2002, 2010 |
 Netherlands Antilles |
1988–1992 |
 Puerto Rico |
1984–2002 |
 Trinidad and Tobago |
1994–2002 |
 United States Virgin Islands |
1984–2006 |
| Central and South America | |
 Brazil |
1992–2010 |
 Colombia |
2010 |
 Costa Rica |
1980–1992, 2006 |
 Guatemala |
1988 |
 Honduras |
1992 |
 Peru |
2010 |
 Venezuela |
1998–2006 |
| Oceania | |
 American Samoa |
1994 |
 Fiji |
1988, 1994, 2002 |
 Guam |
1988 |
| Asia | |
 Philippines |
1972, 1988–1992 |
 Thailand |
2002–2006 |
Other warm weather nations (located in the subtropics
Subtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
, for example) that have competed in the Winter Games include Australia (which has a tropical far north, and became the first Southern Hemisphere nation to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2002
Steven Bradbury
Steven John Bradbury OAM is a former Australian short track speed skater and four-time Olympian, who won the 1,000 m event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents were involved in a last corner pile-up...
), Bermuda
Bermuda at the Olympics
Bermuda first participated at the Olympic Games in 1936, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. Bermuda has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1992.As of 2011, Clarence Hill is...
, Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei at the Olympics
The Republic of China currently competes as Chinese Taipei at the Olympic Games. The ROC first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1932...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong at the Olympics
Hong Kong first competed at the Olympic Games in 1952, then as a British colony. Hong Kong has participated at every Summer Olympic Games since then except for the boycotted 1980 Games, and has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games since 2002.The National Olympic Committee for Hong Kong...
, India (which contains a section of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
), Mexico, New Zealand
New Zealand at the Olympics
New Zealand first participated at the Olympic Games in 1908, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then. For their first two Games in 1908 and 1912, New Zealand competed with Australia in a combined Australasia team...
(the first Southern Hemisphere nation to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, in 1992), South Africa
South Africa at the Olympics
South Africa first participated at the Olympic Games in 1904, and sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games until 1960. After the passage of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1761 in 1962 in response to South Africa's policy of apartheid, the nation was barred from the Games....
, Swaziland
Swaziland at the Olympics
Swaziland first participated at the Olympic Games in 1972. They missed the next two games but returned for the 1984 games in Los Angeles. They have appeared in all games since then...
, Uruguay
Uruguay at the Olympics
Uruguay first participated at the Olympic Games in 1924, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics....
and several North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
n nations including Algeria
Algeria at the Olympics
Algeria first competed at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the boycotted 1976 Summer Olympics...
, Egypt
Egypt at the Olympics
Egypt first participated at the Olympic Games in 1912, and has sent athletes to compete in most editions of the Summer Olympic Games since then. Along with Iraq and Lebanon, Egypt boycotted the 1956 Games in protest of the tripartite Israeli, British, and French invasion of Egypt in the Suez War...
and Morocco
Morocco at the Olympics
Morocco first participated at the Olympic Games in 1960, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Morocco also boycotted the 1976 Games, withdrawing after having initially sent a...
.
Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
sought to make its Winter Olympic debut at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
by entering a single competitor in luge, attracting some media attention, but he crashed in the final round of qualifying.
Notable winter Olympians from tropical nations
| Name | Nation | Sport |
|---|---|---|
| United States Virgin Islands |
luge Luge at the Winter Olympics Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men... |
|
| Guam |
biathlon Biathlon at the Winter Olympics Biathlon debuted at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley with the men's 20 km individual event. At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, the men's 4×7.5 km relay debuted, followed by the 10 km sprint event at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York... |
|
| Venezuela |
luge Luge at the Winter Olympics Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men... |
|
| Kenya |
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
|
| JamaicaBrown competed for Jamaica in the 2002 Games, but has competed for Canada Canada at the Olympics Canada has sent athletes to every Winter Olympic Games and almost every Summer Olympic Games, the exceptions the 1896 Summer Olympics in which it did not compete, and the 1980 Summer Olympics, which it boycotted. Canada has won at least one medal at every Olympics in which it has competed... since 2006. |
bobsleigh Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses. Other than that exception, the four-man competition has been... |
|
| Peru |
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
|
| Brazil |
snowboarding Snowboarding at the Winter Olympics Snowboarding is a sport that has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Snowboarding was one of five new sports or disciplines added to the Winter Olympic program between 1992 and 2002, and was the only one not to have been a previous medal or... |
|
| Colombia |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
|
| United States Virgin Islands |
speed skating Speed skating at the Winter Olympics Speed skating has been featured as a sport in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. Women's events were added to the Olympic program for the first time in 1960.-History:... |
|
| Senegal |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
|
| Venezuela |
luge Luge at the Winter Olympics Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men... |
|
| Jamaica |
freestyle skiing Freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics Freestyle skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville. It was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics, with moguls, aerials, and ballet events. Moguls became an official medal sport at the 1992 games, while aerials and ballet were... |
|
| Costa Rica |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... and cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
|
| Brazil |
bobsleigh Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses. Other than that exception, the four-man competition has been... |
|
| Trinidad and Tobago |
bobsleigh Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses. Other than that exception, the four-man competition has been... |
|
| Cameroon |
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
|
| Brazil |
luge Luge at the Winter Olympics Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men... |
|
| Thailand |
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
|
| Ghana |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
|
| Brazil |
bobsleigh Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses. Other than that exception, the four-man competition has been... and luge Luge at the Winter Olympics Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men... |
|
| Madagascar |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
|
| Fiji |
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
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| Senegal |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
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| Ethiopia |
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924. The women's events were first contested at the 1952 Winter Olympics.- Events :- Medal table :- Number of Cross-country skiers by Nation :... |
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| Fiji |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
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| Cayman Islands |
alpine skiing Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years... |
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| Puerto Rico |
luge Luge at the Winter Olympics Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men... |
Winter Paralympic Games
As of 2010, there has only been one tropical nation to have been represented at the Winter Paralympic GamesWinter Paralympic Games
The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter...
, with participation by a single athlete. Tofiri Kibuuka
Tofiri Kibuuka
Tofiri Kibuuka is a Norwegian athlete. Ugandan by birth, he competed for Uganda before obtaining Norwegian citizenship. He has participated in both the Winter Paralympic Games, in cross-country skiing and in the Summer Paralympic Games, in mid- and long distance running...
of Uganda
Uganda at the Paralympics
Uganda has competed at both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.The country made its Paralympic début at the 1972 Summer Games in Heidelberg, Germany, where it sent two male athletes to compete in javelin and shotput...
competed in cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing at the Winter Paralympics
Cross-country skiing has been contested at the Winter Paralympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1976.- Events :- Medal table : NPCs in italics no longer compete at the Winter ParalympicsAs of 2010 Winter Paralympics-References:...
at the inaugural edition of the Winter Paralympics in 1976
1976 Winter Paralympics
The 1976 Winter Paralympic Games were the first Winter Paralympics. They were held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden from 21 to 28 February 1976. The disabilities included in this paralympics were blindness and amputees. Sixteen countries took part with 198 athletes...
and again at the 1980 Games
1980 Winter Paralympics
The 1980 Winter Paralympic Games, the second Winter Paralympics, were held from 1 to 7 February 1980 in Geilo, Norway. Eighteen countries took part with 299 athletes. A demonstration event was held in sledge downhill racing. All classes of athletes with locomotor disabilities were able to...
. After Kibuuka obtained Norwegian nationality, he began to compete for Norway at the Paralympics
Norway at the Paralympics
Norway has participated in every edition of both the Summer and Winter Paralympics, except the second Summer Games in 1964. It was one of the seventeen countries to take part in the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, where it sent a delegation of eleven athletes...
starting in 1984, winning several medals in athletics at the Summer Paralympics
Athletics at the Summer Paralympics
Athletics has been contested at every Summer Paralympics since the first games in 1960. Men and women from all disability groups compete in the sport.Some athletes use wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs....
.