Paralympics: Training and instinct kicked in after fall

There is no time for doubt when you are hurtling down the side of a mountain as fast as you can, Paralympian gold medallist Adam Hall says.

The 22-year-old Dunedin-born disabled skier won the men's standing slalom at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver on Tuesday, but not before a dramatic crash threatened to ruin his dream.

Hall, who has spina bifida, had a 2sec lead over the rest of the field after a superb opening run but lost control two-thirds of the way down the course during his final run.

But the brief time he spent on his backside was not used contemplating failure. He just got up and skied off.

All the years of training paid off in one instinctive moment.

"When you're at that level of competition you don't really have that much time to think about anything and all I really thought about was getting up and carrying on and finishing the best I possibly could," Hall told the Otago Daily Times from Canada yesterday.

"I do this every day and get into positions like this sometimes. It is what training is all about.

"I still thought I could finish on the podium and when I crossed the finish line and looked up on the big screen and saw my name up there it was a pretty incredible moment."

Shortly after coming to a halt Hall collapsed in a heap, not from exhaustion but emotion.

"There was a lot of emotion. I thought I'd take a moment and in a way it was dedicated to Gillian Hall."

Gillian was a driving force behind the first organised programme for disabled skiers in New Zealand and helped set up a programme at Coronet Peak. She died in August last year.

"She played a huge part in my career and was probably like my second mother in a way.

"Without her input I wouldn't be where I am. She definitely would have been there to watch me the other day and was one of those people who helped inspire me."

As the accolades continue to flow in for Hall following his dramatic victory, the gritty skier was still trying to come to terms with his achievement 24 hours later.

"It still feels like I'm in a dream," he said, adding the support from New Zealand had been "absolutely amazing".

"I opened my emails last night and thought there might be 20 or so but there were over 300. And they still keep coming. Words can't describe it.

"There has been so much work put into that medal it is crazy. And not just by me but all the support crew behind me."

Hall celebrated his win in a low-key fashion back at the village and just "chilled out".

He had yesterday off but it is back to business with several races left.

He has pulled out of the giant slalom so he can focus on chasing another medal in the super G on Sunday and super combined on Monday.