Team USA Wins 24 Medals at 2026 Winter Paralympics

The U.S. sled hockey team skated into history on Sunday, defeating rival Canada 6-2 to win their fifth consecutive Paralympic gold medal. Just hours before the closing ceremony in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the team became the first Olympic or Paralympic squad to win five straight winter gold medals in any sport.

Captain Josh Pauls captured the moment perfectly. "You don't ever start out and try to be the only five-time gold medalist in the sport," he said. "But to be with these guys, to lead them and kind of pass on that tradition, it's the ultimate honor."

Team USA finished second overall at these Games with 24 medals, including 13 gold. That's a major jump from fifth place in 2022 and marks the country's strongest gold medal performance in two decades.

The sled hockey dominance stood out among many bright spots. Declan Farmer, at just 28 years old, became the all-time leading scorer in Paralympic sled hockey history with 15 goals and 26 points throughout the tournament. Jack Wallace earned a hat trick in the gold medal match and was named best defender of the tournament.

The U.S. made this historic win even sweeter by becoming the first country to sweep all three Olympic and Paralympic hockey tournaments in one year. The men's and women's Olympic hockey teams also claimed gold just weeks earlier.

Beyond the ice, American athletes broke barriers across six sports. Laura Dwyer and Steve Emt finished fourth in wheelchair curling's new mixed doubles event, the best U.S. finish ever in that sport. A total of 28 American Paralympians and two guides reached the podium, with six earning their first medals and six taking home multiple medals.

The Ripple Effect

These Games drew 611 athletes from 55 countries, the largest Winter Paralympics in history. More women competed than ever before, and global broadcast coverage reached new heights. For 10 days, athletes from nations dealing with geopolitical tensions came together to celebrate human achievement.

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons called the Paralympics "proof that sport can unite us through respect, fairness and human achievement." Even as Ukrainian athletes boycotted ceremonies to protest Russia's participation, the focus remained on athletic excellence.

Coach David Hoff summed up the spirit after the sled hockey win. "I don't know if it's just the wins," he said. "It's so much more than that. They just love playing together."

The torch now passes to the French Alps for 2030, but Team USA's record-breaking performance proves that determination and teamwork create unstoppable momentum.