Winter Paralympics 2026: China Secure Top Spot With 44 Medals; USA And Russia Finish 2nd and 3rd - See Best Photos
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics concluded with a spectacular display of athletic excellence across northern Italy, marking the movement's 50th anniversary. China maintained its international dominance by topping the medal table with 15 gold medals and 44 total podium finishes. The United States secured second place with 13 golds, highlighted by their continued mastery in Para ice hockey. Host nation Italy achieved its best-ever Winter Paralympic performance to finish fourth, while Russia and Austria rounded out the top five. Standout athletes like Veronika Aigner and Oksana Masters each claimed four gold medals, cementing their status as legends of winter parasports. Watch some of the best pictures from the event below.
United States' Brett Bolton, center, challenges for the puck with Canada's Anton Jacobs-Webb during the ice hockey gold medal match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Antonio Calanni
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Players of the United States celebrate on the podium after winning the gold medal at the ice hockey of the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy | Photo: AP/Luca Bruno
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Ebba Aarsjoe, of Sweden, poses for photos with her three alpine skiing gold medals, at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Johannes Aigner, of Austria, waits his turn to start his first run of the alpine skiing men's slalom vision impaired at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Maria Martin-Granizo, of Spain, crosses the finish line on her second run of the alpine skiing women's giant slalom standing at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Davide Bendotti, of Italy, competes in his first run of the alpine skiing men's slalom standing at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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United States' Kayden Beasley, left, celebrates with his teammate Malik Jones after scoring during the ice hockey gold medal match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Antonio Calanni
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Ebba Aarsjoe, of Sweden, poses for photos with her alpine skiing three gold and one bronze medals, at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Brittany Hudak, of Canada, competes in the cross country skiing women's 10Km interval start classic standing final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Alejandra Requesens, of Spain, competes in her first run of the alpine skiing women's giant slalom vision impaired at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Anna Soens, of the United States, watches Mata Rodriguez, of Spain, reflected in her goggles, leave the start gate for her second run in the alpine skiing women's giant slalom sitting at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Audrey Pascual Seco, of Spain, reacts after crossing the finish line in the to win the bronze medal in the alpine skiing women's giant slalom sitting at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Zach Miller, of the United States, from left, Keith Gabel, of the United States, and Alex Massie, of Canada, compete in a men's snowboard cross SB-LL2 semifinal at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Dave Miln, of Australia, ie welcomed back by his dog Suki after competing in the cross country skiing men's 10Km interval start sitting final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during a women's World Cup giant slalom, in Are, Sweden. | Photo: AP/Marco Trovati
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Wang Chenyang, of China, crosses the finish line in the cross country skiing men's 10Km interval start classic standing final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Italian players get ready prior to the Group A hockey match between Italy and China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Luca Bruno
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Robelson Lula, of Brazil, stands after competing in the cross country skiing men's 10Km interval start sitting final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Maria Martin-Granizo, of Spain, competes in her first run of the alpine skiing women's giant slalom standing at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Mike Schultz, of the United States, stretches during warmup before the start of the snowboard cross competitions at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Claire Petit, of the Netherlands, competes in the alpine skiing women's super-G standing final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Jinqiao Yang, of China, competes during wheelchair curling mixed doubles round robin session against Italy at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Chine's Li Hongguan challenges for the puck with Italy's Gianluigi Rosa during the Group A hockey match between Italy and China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Luca Bruno
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Bernt Marius Roerstad, of Norway, competes in the alpine skiing men's super-G standing final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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Zhang Wenjing, of China, competes in her first run of the alpine skiing women's giant slalom sitting at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka
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United States' Declan Farmer runs to the puck during a semifinal hockey match between United States and Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Luca Bruno
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Kate Delson, of the United States, competes in her second run of the snowboard women's banked slalom sb-ll2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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China's Shiyu Wang competes in the Para Biathlon Women's sprint sitting at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth
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Gakuta Koike, of Japan, reacts after competing in the alpine skiing men's downhill standing competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti
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Gold medalists Veronika Aigner, of Austria, left, and her guide Eric Digruber celebrate on the podium of the alpine skiing women's giant slalom vision impaired, watched by bronze medalists Elina Stary, of Austria, and her guide Stefan Winter, right, at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Emilio Morenatti