If you’re old enough to remember Chernobyl, you’ll remember that it was a major nuclear disaster. Although radiation levels seem to have returned to normal now, they were pretty high after it went off in April 1986. Alexi Salamone was born in June 1987. His development was affected, and he was born with twisted legs that were later amputated.

Salamone was left by his birth parents. He describes the orphanage that he lives in as an “alley”. His birth parents, Joe and Sue Salamone, adopted him at age 6. He has an adoptive sister, Tatiana, that came from the same orphanage.

At age 10, he was introduced to sledge hockey. He looks forward to returning to the country of his birth, but he is unsure of whether he will look up his birth parents. More information about Alexi Salamone can be found in this Yahoo article.

Canada may have won the able bodied gold medal, but the United States took the gold in Paralympic sledge hockey. Canada lost to Japan in the semi-finals, and then lost to Norway in the bronze-medal game. Japan won the silver medal.

One of the top US sledge hockey players is Alexi Salamone, who was born in Russia after the Chernobyl accident, and was born with twisted legs that had to be amputated. He hopes to return to his land of birth in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Hopefully to win another gold medal. Salamone made one of the two goals, and also had an assist.

The US goalie, Steve Cash, played an outstanding game of defense, making five saves.

The 2010 Vancouver Paralympics are winding down. The only events left in the games are the 1 km sprint events in cross-country skiing, and the closing ceremonies. The next Olympic event after that will be the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore.

One of the Paralympic events is sledge hockey. This game is similar to ice hockey, but it allows athletes that are unable to walk or stand to compete. Instead of standing and skating like in regular hockey, athletes sit in a specially developed-sledge.

In prior Paralympics, sledge hockey was a men-only sport. For Vancouver, it has gone temporarily coed. No decision has been made on what to do about the 2014 Sochi Paralympics, but officials are trying to make Paralympic events more available to women, so there may be permanent changes in four years.

Eight teams have qualified for the 2010 Paralympics. The first games will take place on March 13, 2010.