Wheelchair racing at the Olympics Olympics, held earlier that year. Athletes who finished in the top three of these competitions did not have the performances included in the overall medal count. However, unofficial medals were awarded to the competitors nevertheless in 1984 by Juan Antonio Samaranch, the International Olympic Committee president. The events were dropped prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and multiple Paralympic gold medallist Chantal Petitclerc stated the decision was a major set-back for the sport, as she favoured its official integration as an Olympic sport. At the inaugural event in 1984 Sharon Hedrick broke the IPC world record to win the women's
1980 Winter Olympics medal table with 22. East Germany led the overall medal count with 23. The host United States were third in both gold and overall medals, with 6 and 12, respectively. Having won her country's first Olympic medal in Innsbruck, four years before, alpine skier Hanni Wenzel won Liechtenstein's only two gold medals in the country's history, at Lake Placid. Liechtenstein is the smallest nation to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. Bulgaria won its first Winter Olympic medal at these Games, a bronze medal in cross-country skiing. The People's Republic of China made their first appearance at a Winter Olympics