Sports Minister Romain Schneider accompanied LL.AA.RR. The Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess in heir to greet Luxembourg’s athletes at the opening of the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2017 in Schladming and Graz, Austria this weekend, later adding support to the Luxembourg athletes who secured the Grand Duchy’s first two silver and bronze medals. 

Luxembourg went on to score its first gold medals today, picked up by Aloyse Hoffmann in the Alpine Intermediate Super G, Pascal Closter in the men’s 200 metre snowshoeing event, and by Beatrice Cannels, in the women’s 200 metre snowshoeing event. 

This adds to Luxembourg’s tally so far won by Kelly Toex and Alistair Lesire who won silver and bronze on Sunday’s Alpine Intermediate Super G events. Elise Georges picked up a bronze at today’s Alpine Intermediate Giant Slalom, while Lynn Streitz won silver in the 1k cross country freestyle, and Pierre Frank won a bronze medal for his timing in the 200 metre snowshoeing event. 

The Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held until 25 March 2017 and Luxembourg is participating for the 7th consecutive time in these games since 1993.

Image: © Astrid Steiner Fischer