For the week of March 13 - 19, 2002

Muffy has the silver touch at Paralympics

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By JEFF CORDES
Express Sports Editor

So far it’s been a big week for Sun Valley mono-skier Muffy Davis at the 2002 Paralympics in Snowbasin, Utah. And there is more to come.

Muffy Davis. Express photo by Greg Stahl

Last Thursday, fifth-year U.S. Disabled Ski Team alpine racer Davis, 29, was given the huge honor of lighting the cauldron at the Paralympics opening ceremonies along with 33-year-old mono-skier Chris Waddell of Park City, Utah.

They were terrific role models—Davis, the two-time World Cup overall champion who graduated from Stanford, and Waddell, the 1992 Middlebury graduate who won four golds at the 1998 Paralympics.

"It was such an honor. We were so excited for her. We had no idea she would be chosen to light the cauldron," said Muffy’s mother, MB Davis of Sun Valley.

MB said there were 500 athletes at Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium, and thousands of onlookers, in a "very emotional and inspirational," ceremony.

The racers got down to business Saturday and the U.S. women mono-skiers continued their amazing string of success. They’ve won all 12 international races they’ve entered this season, and they swept the podium twice at Snowbasin.

LW-10 racer Davis, whose best result during the 1998 Paralympics in Japan was bronze in slalom, won two silver medals in the speed races.

Muffy placed second in Saturday’s downhill and second in Monday’s super giant slalom, both times finishing behind LW-11 Sarah Will, 36, of Vail, Colo., a four-time Paralympian and a 10-time gold medalist.

Muffy was particularly happy with her downhill silver. Even her SG silver was an improvement over her sixth place in the event at Nagano in 1998.

The Arts & Entertainment Network (A&E, local channel 63) will broadcast highlights of the Paralympics each day from 4-5 p.m. MST through Friday.

Muffy races giant slalom Thursday, March 14, and slalom Saturday, March 16. Closing ceremonies are Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Olympic Medals Plaza in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

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