Summary of this article
Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics concluded after ten days of competition, featuring 611 athletes from 55 nations across 79 medal events in six sports
China topped the medal table with 44 medals, followed by the United States and Russia
Host nation Italy recorded its best-ever Winter Paralympic performance, winning 16 medals with strong home support
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics concluded on Sunday, bringing the curtain down on ten days of competition with the closing ceremony at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
Held from March 6 to 15, the event featured more than 600 athletes from 55 nations competing across 79 medal events in six sports, para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
China finished atop the medal table with a dominant haul of 44 medals, including 15 gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze, continuing their strong run in Winter Paralympic sport.
United States secured second place with 24 medals (13 gold, five silver and six bronze), highlighted by their fifth consecutive gold medal in para ice hockey after defeating Canada 6-2 in the final.
Russia returned to the Winter Paralympics under its national flag for the first time since 2014 and finished third with eight gold medals, while host nation Italy also enjoyed a historic campaign, surpassing its previous best tally of 13 medals from the 1994 Winter Paralympics to finish with 16 medals, seven gold, seven silver and two bronze.
The Games also saw several nations make their Winter Paralympic debut, including El Salvador, Haiti, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Portugal. The closing ceremony took place at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium under the theme “Italian Souvenir,” celebrating the athletes, volunteers and organisers who shaped the Games.
Andrew Parsons officially declared the Games closed, with the Paralympic flag handed over to the hosts of the 2030 Winter Paralympics in the French Alps.
Winter Paralympics 2026 Medal Tally - Top 5
| NOC | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| China | 15 | 13 | 16 | 44 |
| United States | 13 | 5 | 6 | 24 |
| Russia | 8 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| Italy | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 |
| Austria | 7 | 2 | 4 | 13 |
The Milan-Cortina edition also marked the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Winter Paralympics held in 1976 and the first time Italy hosted the event since the 2006 Winter Paralympics.
