Several countries have revealed their athlete selections for the upcoming 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina, Italy. Team USA nominated 32 snowboarders and skiers, while Canada fields a 50-athlete roster led by veterans. Ukraine sets a national record with 35 competitors across four sports.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, set for March 6 to 15 in Milano Cortina, Italy, will feature competitions in six sports, including 79 medal events in disciplines like para alpine skiing and para snowboard. National teams have begun announcing their rosters, showcasing a blend of experienced athletes and newcomers.
Team USA's U.S. Ski & Snowboard governing body nominated 32 athletes for para snowboard and para alpine skiing events. This group includes 14 first-time Paralympians and veterans such as Brenna Huckaby, seeking medals in her third Games, along with Noah Elliott, Mike Schultz, Keith Gabel, Laurie Stephens, and Andrew Kurka. Newcomers like Kate Delson, who won silver at the Para Snowboard World Championships, Kelsey O’Driscoll, and Audrey Crowley join the roster.
Canada's 50-athlete team, including four guides, features 21 returnees from the Beijing 2022 Games and 19 debutants. Leading the squad are Greg Westlake, appearing in his sixth Paralympics after returning from retirement for para hockey, and fifth-time competitors Adam Dixon in para hockey, Mark Arendz in para nordic skiing with 12 medals, and Ina Forrest in wheelchair curling with podiums in four straight Games.
Ukraine has secured a record 25 qualification slots for 35 athletes plus 10 guides, surpassing the previous high of 23 from 2014. The team will compete in biathlon, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding, with athletes like Hryhorii Vovchynskyi and Liudmyla Liashenko in nordic events, and Maksym Heliuta in alpine skiing. Ukraine plans to boycott the opening ceremony in protest of Russian athletes competing under national symbols.
Australia's Lauren Parker, a 37-year-old triathlon gold medalist from Paris 2024, will debut in winter events as the eighth Australian dual-sport Paralympian. She took up cross-country skiing and biathlon about a year ago, competing in six events total. "It's happened so fast, and I've put in a lot of hard work," Parker said. Iran's Abolfazl Khatibi will be the country's sole representative in cross-country skiing, having qualified in Tokyo.
