'It’s an opportunity to make my country proud': Canadian Paralympians celebrate one year until Milano Cortina 2026
The 2026 Winter Paralympics run from March 6-15, 2026.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games are rapidly approaching, and another milestone was met on Thursday as the Games officially reached the one year to go countdown.
The Paralympics will begin on March 6, 2026 and finish just over a week later on March 15. The opening ceremony will take place at the historic Verona Arena in Verona, and the closing ceremony will be at Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio to end the festivities in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Like at Beijing 2022, there will be six sports on the calendar — Para alpine skiing, Para nordic skiing (which includes Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing), Para ice hockey, Para snowboard, and wheelchair curling. New for Milano Cortina 2026 is a mixed doubles event in wheelchair curling. In total, around 665 athletes from around the world are expected to compete in 79 events.
The Paralympics will also take place during the 50th anniversary of the first Paralympic Winter Games, which occured in 1976 in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden.
In Beijing three years ago, Canadian athletes won 25 medals — eight golds, six silvers, and eleven bronzes. That was the nation’s second-highest total of Paralympic medals at a single winter games, beaten narrowly by the 28 won in Pyeongchang four years earlier.
One of the stars for Canada at both of those Olympics was Natalie Wilkie, who added four Para cross-country skiing medals (two gold, one silver, one bronze) to the three she won in Pyeongchang (one gold, one silver, one bronze). Still only 24, she is excited to get back to the biggest stage to try and add to that tally.
“With one year until the Games, I'm excited to compete at the highest level again and excited to see what I can achieve,” she said in a press release on Thursday. “Competing for Canada at the Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games will be a huge honour. It’s an opportunity to make my country proud, alongside teammates I love, by skiing my heart out on the course and embodying the values that make us Canadian.”
She is not the only multi-medallist looking for the opportunity to get back to the Paralympics.
“This milestone reflects the dedication, commitment, and hard work of our team and everyone who has supported us along the way,” said Tyler McGregor, a three-time Paralympian and three-time medallist in Para ice hockey. “As we enter our final year of preparation, we’re united in our goal to achieve excellence and highlight the incredible talent of all Canadian athletes. We can’t wait to wear the maple leaf with pride and give our best in Milan in 2026.”
“I feel like I just left Beijing 2022,” added Alexis Guimond, a two-time Paralympian and two-time medallist in Para alpine skiing. “A lot of work and preparation has gone on in between, so I am really confident going into Milan. I've been on the track; I've podiumed on that track. I think I could definitely bring a lot when it's Games time. I'm looking forward to that, and I've got a pretty positive outlook on what Milan will look like for me.”
Qualification for the Games is ongoing, and there are months still until athletes begin to be officially named to Team Canada. But with a year to go now, the pressure ramps up, as does the excitement.
“Milano Cortina 2026 will be the exciting next chapter in the Paralympic Movement, showcasing the transformational power of sport to impact greater inclusion and accessibility,” said Karen O’Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee in a press release. “There are many dedicated Canadian athletes who are preparing for the Games, and our goal is to make sure they have all the support they need leading into and at the Games to achieve their goals.”
“Canadian Para athletes have been performing so well on the world stage this year, setting up what will be an incredible Paralympic Winter Games next March,” added Catherine Gosselin-Despres, Chief Sport Officer, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “Milano Cortina 2026 will be an exciting showcase of athletic excellence, and we cannot wait to cheer on Canada’s amazing winter Paralympians, sharing and celebrating their performances and stories.”
The Paralympics will be available to watch live on CBC/Radio-Canada next year, both on television and streaming online.
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