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Paralympics await their turn in the spotlight
Director says support for the biggest-ever Games is growing
By Seth Lewis
Deseret News Olympics specialist
Xavier Gonzalez's surroundings mocked his message.
The managing director of Salt Lake City's 2002 Winter Paralympics recently touted to reporters his lesser-known Games, how they would go prime time and grab the nation — or, at least A&E Network viewers — by the lapel.
He had confidence, but not much of an audience: At a news conference, Gonzalez spoke to five reporters before one left early.
Still, he's convinced the swelling support for the ongoing Olympics will linger past Feb. 24 and rescue the Paralympics, particularly the winter version, from media oblivion.
"I have no doubt that the 2002 Winter (Paralympics) will be a gigantic step," Gonzalez said.
His optimism is understandable.
Gonzalez has the backing of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee — the first time a host city's organizers have sponsored both the Olympics and Paralympics. These are the largest Winter Paralympics ever, with 425 athletes from 36 countries. And while the media coverage has been scant, the word apparently is getting out: After a torrid two weeks of sales, nearly half of the 235,000 available tickets are gone for the March 7-16 Paralympic Games.
Best of all, Paralympics officials have a television deal, a package so good they call it "historic."
A&E will air 13 hours of prime-time coverage from March 9-16. That's far more than the four TV hours during the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, a notable difference considering the Summer Paralympics are more popular.
"It's a huge growth for an event that's smaller than the Summer Games," Gonzalez said.
Sure, the 2002 Paralympics operate in the Olympics' Shrek-sized shadow. There's no Picabo or Kwan.
But how about Muffy and Manuel, Chris and Steve?
Muffy Davis is at least the most recognizable. She's the determined, 10-story face on the Kearns Building, her Alpine-skiing stance gracing one of SLOC's downtown posters.
Davis believed God would take her to the Olympics. Then, a crash in her hometown of Sun Valley, Idaho, left her paralyzed at 16 and pondering other options.
She attended Stanford and prepared for medical school but scuttled her plans when she saw Picabo Street take the downhill silver at the 1994 Games.
Davis got serious about mono-skiing and made the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. She took bronze in slalom at the 1998 Paralympics in Nagano and recently moved to Park City to train for this year's Games.
"I think this is going to be a breakthrough Paralympics," Davis said.
Gonzalez says the athletes provide a compelling backdrop with countless comeback stories: Manuel Guerra Jr., a polio survivor, the Paralympics' premier ice-sledge hockey goalie; Chris Waddell, paralyzed in 1988, who swept all four skiing events at Lillehammer; and Steve Cook, a cross country skier who skis on one leg.
"The feeling is growing and growing here," Gonzalez said.
For ticket and event information, visit ( www.paralympics2002.com)
E-MAIL: slewis@desnews.com
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February 12, 2002
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