2026 Winter Paralympics Live: Medal Updates from Milano Cortina
The 2026 Winter Paralympics are officially underway in Italy, marking a historic 50th anniversary for the Games. With competition having started on March 4th and the Opening Ceremony on March 6th, athletes from around the world are battling for 79 gold medals across six thrilling sports . Here is your complete guide to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, including how to watch the action, the stars to follow, and the new events debuting this year.
🗓️ General Information: Milano Cortina 2026 at a Glance
For the second time in history, Italy is hosting the Winter Paralympics, following the 2006 Turin Games. This year's event is particularly special as it celebrates five decades since the first Winter Paralympics were held in Sweden in 1976 .
Dates: The Games officially run from March 6 to March 15, 2026. However, due to the expanded schedule, wheelchair curling competitions actually began on March 4 .
Venues: The events are spread across multiple stunning locations in northern Italy. The ski events are taking place in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Tesero, while Para ice hockey is being hosted at the newly built Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan. The historic Verona Arena hosted the Opening Ceremony .
Athletes: Nearly 670 athletes from 50 countries are competing, a record number for the Winter Paralympics .
🏅 The Six Paralympic Sports
The Games feature six core sports. For the first time, detailed "Sport Explainer" videos have been released by the IPC to help fans understand the rules and classifications of each discipline .
Para Alpine Skiing: A foundational sport since 1976 where athletes compete in Downhill, Super-G, and Slalom events in categories for sitting, standing, and visually impaired skiers .
Para Biathlon: A test of endurance and precision, combining cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. Visually impaired athletes use acoustic signals to aim .
Para Cross-Country Skiing: Another original sport from 1976, featuring sprint and distance races for athletes in sitting, standing, and visually impaired categories .
Para Ice Hockey: A fast-paced, mixed-gender team sport played on sledges. The USA is aiming for their fifth consecutive gold medal .
Para Snowboard: The newest sport on the program (added in 2014), featuring Banked Slalom and Snowboard Cross events .
Wheelchair Curling: A game of precision without sweeping. This year, a new Mixed Doubles event has been added alongside the traditional team event .
✨ What's New in 2026?
Wheelchair Curling Mixed Doubles: This is the only new medal event added since Beijing 2022. Great Britain's Jo Butterfield and Jason Kean are strong contenders after recent tournament wins .
Early Competition: For the first time in Winter Paralympic history, sporting action (wheelchair curling) began before the Opening Ceremony to accommodate the expanded program .
Mascot Milo: The Games' mascot is Milo, a creative and curious stoat born without a paw who uses his tail to walk. He is the brother of Tina, the Olympic mascot .
🥇 Athletes and Teams to Watch
🌟 International Stars
Oksana Masters (USA): One of the most decorated athletes in Paralympic history, Masters competes in Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing. She is already a member of the elite group with gold medals at both Summer and Winter Games .
Jesper Pedersen (Norway): The dominant force in Para Alpine skiing, who won four gold medals in Beijing .
Momoka Muraoka (Japan): A three-time gold medalist from the last Games in Alpine skiing events .
🇬🇧 Great Britain Team Highlights
Great Britain has sent a squad of 25 athletes . Key names include:
Menna Fitzpatrick: Britain's most decorated Winter Paralympian (6 medals). She is competing after recovering from a significant knee injury .
Neil Simpson & Andrew Simpson: The brother duo who made history as the first British men to win gold on snow in Beijing .
Jo Butterfield & Jason Kean ("Team JJ"): Butterfield, a Rio 2016 gold medalist in athletics, is aiming to become the first Briton to win gold at both Summer and Winter Games in the new wheelchair curling mixed doubles event .
Davy Zyw: The Scottish snowboarder is believed to be the first athlete with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) to compete at the Winter Paralympics .
🇦🇺 Australia Team Highlights
Australia has named a team of 14 athletes, featuring a mix of veterans and exciting new talent .
Ben Tudhope: The seasoned snowboarder is competing in his fourth Games, having made his debut in Sochi 2014 at just 14 years old .
Summer-to-Winter Stars: Paris 2024 cycling gold medalist Amanda Reid and triathlon/cycling gold medalist Lauren Parker are both making their Winter Paralympics debut, in snowboarding and cross-country respectively .
📺 How to Watch and Full Schedule
Broadcast Information
Rights holders around the world are providing extensive coverage:
United Kingdom: Channel 4 is the exclusive home, broadcasting over 60 hours of live sport. The opening ceremony aired on March 6, with daily live coverage from around 7:50 AM GMT and highlights at 6:30 PM .
United States: NBC, USA Network, and CNBC are providing live coverage, with streaming available on Peacock .
Australia: The Nine Network, along with its streaming platforms NineNow and Stan Sport, are broadcasting the events .
Globally, fans can also watch live on Olympics.com and the official Olympics app in many territories .
Key Schedule Dates
The first medals of the Games were awarded on March 7 with the Para Alpine skiing Downhill and Para Biathlon Sprint events . The Games will conclude on March 15 with the Para ice hockey gold medal game and the Closing Ceremony in Cortina .
The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics are not just a competition; they are a celebration of 50 years of Para sport excellence. Whether you're cheering on your country's team or marveling at the athleticism on display, this is an event not to be missed.
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