Patrick Cooper - Lillehammer's 'golden boy'

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 534, 3 May 1994, Page 21 (Supplement)

Patrick Cooper - Lillehammer's 'golden boy'

Ohakune disabled skier Patrick Cooper became the first New Zealand disabled skier ever to win three medals at a Paralympics when he won a second gold medal in the men's slalom recently. That win took his Paralympics medal total to six. Patrick said he is "absolutely rapt" with his performance at Lillehammer, Norway. He was back in his "all or nothing" mode for the slalom, after skiing cautiously and out of character in the giant slalom when he won his bronze medal. Patrick said he knew he was over-cautious in the giant slalom, but if he pushed himself to the limit in the slalom the gold medal would be his.

In the giant slalom Patrick was just 1.3 seconds behind the course leader Rik Heid and 0.18 seconds behind the silver medallist. "Racing doesn't come much closer than this," he said. "Of course it' s difficult coming so close to gold and missing out - but I have to be pleased with my performance." Patrick said the ice forced him to curb his natural tendency to ski "all out" and cost him the gold medal. His bronze medal performance was preceded by a disappointing run in the men' s do wnhill earlier in the week, when he was disqualified after missing a gate.

"I was very eager but I just wasn' t steady enough on my skis," Patrick said. He took his first gold medal in the Super G. A firm favourite for the event, Patrick blitzed the field with a time of 1 : 13.24 seconds. "I was a little nervous at the start because of my experience in the downhill, but once again I knew it was a case of all or nothing," he said. Patrick won a silver in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1988 and two golds at Albertville, France, in 1992. Patrick' s latest medal brings the New Zealand team's 1994 tally to six - three gold and three bronze - and the most successful Paralympics

medal bid by a New Zealand team ever. At a civic function held in Ohakune to welcome him home, Patrick said he found the Norwegians great supporters in skiing. He said skiing was on television every night and almost everybody was up with the play with the various events. It was a great atmosphere, staying in the Olympic village with other athletes and being close to the slopes. Later, when asked what kind of skier he thinks he would have been if he had not lost his leg, he said he could never know. "I often find I can turn better on this one that on my real leg, so who knows?"