Belgium is sending three athletes to the Paralympic Winter Games for the first time since the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville. All three will be making their Paralympic debut.
The Belgian delegation consists of visually impaired alpine skier Maximilien Seeger and his lead skier Jérémy Mestdagh, 16-year-old sit-skier Marte Goossen and sit-skier Jérémy Prégardien.
Seeger and Mestdagh compete as a tightly coordinated pair. "I'm skiing in front of Max, a few metres away, and we're constantly communicating in code via intercoms," explains Mestdagh.
Seeger underlines the importance of their bond: "We've been friends for almost 20 years, and our collaboration isn't imposed by the federation, unlike in other countries. Trust is the driving force. Without that trust, you can't ski safely and competitively."
They are realistic about their chances. "There's a top 5 of very experienced athletes, but we aim for our own level. If it's our day, it's our day," says Mestdagh.
At just 16, Goossen is one of the youngest athletes at the Games. While Paralympic competitors are on average older than those at the able-bodied Winter Games, she is unfazed by the age gap. "I think there might be one or two athletes who are also sixteen, everyone else is older. That's really cool, actually."
"It's just fantastic that I get to experience this. This is truly a dream come true. I really want to do well," Goossen says.
Prégardien also competes in the sit-ski category. During descents, he is strapped into a bucket seat mounted on a single ski and uses stabilisers attached to his hands. His journey to the Games followed a serious shoulder injury.
"The best result I can achieve is being satisfied with myself and feeling like I gave it my all. In our sport, everything is uncertain—each race can go differently—but I'm going for the maximum," he says.
According to Ellen Van Camp, the president of the Belgian Paralympic Committee, expectations remain measured in Cortina d'Ampezzo. "We're outsiders for the medals. For us, it's very important that the athletes can achieve the performances they're happy with."
Van Camp says that the impact of the Games goes beyond sport. "When people see our athletes in action, it often changes the image they have of people with disabilities. It shows that they are true top athletes, with enormous capabilities, who push their boundaries and simply do what everyone does: get the best out of themselves," she told Belga News Agency.
The Paralympic Winter Games celebrate their 50th anniversary this year. The opening ceremony will take place on 6 March in Verona, with the closing ceremony on 15 March. Belgian athletes are scheduled to compete almost daily from 7 March onwards.
