Five days after the 2026 Winter Olympic Games concluded with a stellar closing ceremony in Verona, the same ancient venue hosted the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. Over the course of 10 days, around 665 para athletes from around the world competed across six sports with the hopes of achieving paralympic glory. The United States sent a contingent of 68 athletes (and four guides) to Italy and those athletes brought home a total of 24 medals, including 13 golds.
The United States sled hockey team was not only on the cusp of cementing its dominance in the sport but was also poised to make history. With the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams winning gold in their events at the Olympics, if the sled hockey team could win gold in the Paralympic matchup the U. S. would sweep the Milan Cortina hockey medals. The sled hockey athletes did not disappoint. After an absolute tour de force in the preliminary rounds, the U. S. team dominated Canada to win its fifth gold in a row by a score of 6-2. During the game, Jack Wallace scored a whopping four goals while the team outshot Canada 25-15.
One cannot talk about winter para sports, let alone the Paralympics, without talking about Oksana Masters. Going into these Games, she was already the most decorated U. S. Winter Paralympian in history, but the weeks leading up to Milan Cortina had her 2026 goals skiing on shaky ground. Only two days prior to the opening ceremony, Masters posted that she had had multiple hospital visits due to a concussion and recurring leg infection.
Like the true fighter that she is, she pressed on and earned five medals in Italy, four gold and one bronze, in para biathlon events, further securing her place in both Paralympic and skiing history. After winning the gold in the Para Biathlon Women’s Sprint Sitting, she said, “My emotions are just pure shock. I did not expect this. All I was hoping was just to have a good time in the shooting range. I did not expect a podium finish to be honest, let alone a gold.” This Paralympics brought her total medal count to 24.
Perfection is nearly impossible to achieve at a level like the Paralympics, but Nordic skier Jake Adicoff did just that in Italy. Taking on four cross-country (visually impaired) events, he taught a masterclass every single time. He swept the gold medals in the 20km, 10km, Sprint Classic and Mixed Relay with guide Reid Goble.
“Four races, four gold medals, that was the goal. It was really hard but it was so rewarding to do it. That was my goal since four years ago, it’s been in my mind ever since then,” Adicoff said after his achievement. The first of his four golds was not only impressive but also historic as he is now the first openly gay man to have won a gold medal in the Paralympics.
With the Paralympic flame now extinguished, all eyes look toward Los Angeles, where the 2028 Summer Paralympics and Olympics will be held. As for the winter paralympians, they will get their next shot at golden glory in 2030 when the Games head to the French Alps.
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All stats are from: https://www.teamusa.com/milano-cortina-2026/paralympics/results
