600 Athletes Compete at 50th Anniversary Winter Paralympics

The world's best winter Paralympic athletes are racing, jumping, and gliding through Italy right now, marking a half-century milestone for the Winter Games.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games opened March 6 with more than 600 athletes from 55 nations ready to compete. The event celebrates 50 years since the first Winter Paralympics took place in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden in 1976.

Athletes will battle for 79 medals across six sports through March 15. The competition spans three Italian venues, from bustling Milano to the dramatic mountain settings of Cortina D'Ampezzo and Val di Fiemme.

Day one featured the first medal ceremonies in women's downhill vision-impaired skiing and women's sprint sitting biathlon. Competitors in Para Alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard, and wheelchair curling are showcasing extraordinary skill and determination.

Among the standout stories is nineteen-time Paralympic medallist Oksana Masters, competing alongside her partner Aaron Pike. The couple balances love and elite competition, supporting each other through intense training and racing.

Italy's Para ice hockey team is led by Andrea Macrì, a former fencer who brings his competitive fire to the ice. Para dressage champion Laurentia Tan, who cannot hear, relies on her other senses to visualize music during her performances.

The Ripple Effect

This milestone Games demonstrates how far adaptive sports have come in five decades. What started as a single event in Sweden has grown into a global celebration featuring hundreds of athletes and millions of viewers worldwide.

The expansion from that first Winter Paralympics to today's multi-sport, multi-nation competition shows the power of inclusion in action. Each athlete competing in Milano Cortina inspires the next generation to push beyond perceived limits.

These Games prove that sport truly belongs to everyone.