1998 Winter Paralympics
The , the seventh Paralympic Winter Games, were held alongside the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan from 5 to 14 March 1998. They were the first Paralympic Winter Games to be held outside Europe. 571 athletes competed in Nagano; it remains the highest number of athletes competing at any Winter Paralympics. Sports. The games consisted of 34 events in four sports: alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey, ice sledge racing, and Nordic skiing. The sport of Nordic skiing comprised two disciplines, the biathlon and cross-country skiing. Venues. In total seven venues were used at the 1998 Winter Olympics  around four cities and towns. Medal table. The top 10 NPCs by number of gold medals are listed below. The host nation (Japan) is highlighted. Participants. Thirty-one National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) entered athletes at the 1998 Winter Paralympics. The number in parentheses indicates the number of participants from each NPC. Mascot. The 1998 Winter Paralympics Mascot was Parabbit. Opening Ceremony. The theme of the Opening Ceremony was "Hope", and inspired by a painting by George Frederic Watts. The theme also signifies it was the first Winter Paralympics held in Asia and the last Paralympics of the 20th century. 1998