Emma Archibald, a 22-year-old from Fall River, Nova Scotia, is set to make her Paralympic debut in women's standing cross-country skiing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. Born with amniotic band syndrome, she overcame initial challenges to classify in the sport after trying other para disciplines. Her journey highlights determination and adaptation in para-nordic skiing.
Emma Archibald's path to the Paralympics began nearly seven years ago with a transformative trip to Ecuador, where she volunteered at a children's camp for those with physical disabilities. The warm reception she received there prompted her to embrace her own condition—amniotic band syndrome, which left her missing digits on both hands and her right foot—rather than simply fitting into able-bodied sports.
Back home, her mother Julie spotted a Paralympic Search event in Halifax, similar to an RBC Training Ground assessment. Archibald tested for multiple sports and qualified for seven, initially favoring track and field, a childhood passion alongside soccer, basketball, flag football, and even piano despite her physical differences. However, classification in Montreal revealed she did not meet the criteria for track due to insufficient foot impairment.
Undeterred, she turned to cross-country skiing, a sport she had never tried. At a development camp in Canmore, she classified in the LW5/7 standing category, though balance proved difficult with the long, narrow skis and boots that felt like loose sneakers. Her father, Stephen Archibald, recalled her early determination, thinking, “Emma, really? You’re missing fingers. Is there not another musical instrument you want to play?” Yet, he noted, “That’s just who she is, you know, there’s nothing [she wouldn’t do].”
Enrolling at the University of Ottawa for its nordic ski team, Archibald trained with athletes of varying experience levels. A Petro-Canada Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence grant with coach Sheila Kealey aided her progress. She learned to balance intensity with rest, avoiding ineffective sessions during illness. Her efforts yielded two gold medals at the 2023 Canada Games and a World Cup debut in Italy in January 2024.
Now residing in Ottawa and competing with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, Archibald joined the Canadian para-nordic team for pre-Games training in Obertilliach, Austria. Amid clear skies and alpine scenery, she encountered shaggy highland cattle, petting one during a long session. “I’ve been looking for those guys since we got here, and I finally found them,” she said. Reflecting on her journey, Archibald emphasized, “If either the determination or joy wasn’t there, I would have stopped. But I just kept growing and growing.” The Milano Cortina Games run from March 6 to 15, 2026, marking her debut in Val di Fiemme.
