Milan-Cortina, Italy's Paralympic team makes history: 16 medals and a new horizon

A scream, almost liberated. It belongs to the protagonist of these Paralympic Games, Giacomo Bertagnolli, but it is also a snapshot of an Italy that, in front of its own audience, has changed pace. At the closing of the Winter Paralympics in Milano Cortina 2026 — an event held from March 6 to 15, 2026 with the final ceremony at the Ice Stadium of Cortina d'Ampezzo — the blue medal tally tells the story of a season to remember: 16 total medals (including 7 golds, 7 silvers, and 2 bronzes), a haul that secures 4th place in the medal standings and, above all, the best Italian Paralympic result in the last 50 years. A clear surpassing of the previous record: Lillehammer 1994, when Italy stopped at 13 podiums without any golds.

A record built race after race

The figure of 16 podiums is not a cold number: it is a mosaic that brings together confirmations, redemptions, and firsts. The leap in quality compared to the recent past is evident even halfway through the program, when Italy had surpassed the 7 podiums of Beijing 2022; the progression then solidified until reaching 16 medals and placing among the top four nations.

Leading the group was the champion alpine skier Giacomo Bertagnolli, accompanied by guide Andrea Ravelli: for him, an encyclopedic edition with 5 personal medals, evenly split between technical and speed events, which also update his overall achievements. His journey in Milano-Cortina reads: 2 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze — starting with bronze in downhill, then silver in super-G, followed by gold in combined, silver in giant slalom, and the final triumph in slalom. A “five out of five” that becomes a symbol of the Italian edition.

The golden signatures: Mazzel, De Silvestro, Perathoner

Alongside Bertagnolli, other stories ignited enthusiasm. The flag bearer Chiara Mazzel — guided by Nicola Cotti Cottini — found the perfect swing on the “Olympia” of Cortina: silver in downhill and, two days later, the leap that earned her gold in super-G for visually impaired athletes. A medal that counts double: dazzling technique and charisma, with Italy standing in the stands.

In the sitting category, René De Silvestro carved out a historic first: the gold in giant slalom, achieved with coolness and clean trajectories, is his signature on the most precious metal and a milestone for the tricolor movement in this category.

And that's not all: snowboarding has changed perspective. Emanuel Perathoner, returned to the big stage after an injury and a path of sports rebirth, even marked a gold double in banked slalom and snowboard cross in the SB-LL2 class, projecting Italy into a territory where historically there haven't been many Paralympic triumphs.

Heavy silvers and thrilling bronzes

Where gold did not arrive, often very heavy medals did. Federico Pelizzari snagged a silver in the standing combined behind the Frenchman Arthur Bauchet, confirming continuity and ambition. In the crucial days, the silvers of Bertagnolli in superG and giant slalom matured, along with that of Mazzel in the combined. In cross-country, the masterpiece of endurance by Giuseppe Romele lit up the 20 km sitting: his bronze, achieved in a comeback at Lago di Tesero, restored the sense of a work that starts far away and benefits the entire group. Completing the haul are the initial podiums in downhill and the overall placements that, with the same number of podiums, often made the difference in comparison with other nations.

The comparison with history: the turning point of Lillehammer '94

To appreciate the significance of the result, a stark comparison is enough: Lillehammer 1994 remains for the Azzurri a winter Paralympic icon, but with a limit — 13 medals and no gold. At Milano-Cortina 2026, Italy surpasses that total, puts 7 golds in the showcase, and climbs to 4th place in the overall ranking, marking a historic discontinuity. In the meantime, alternating seasons and a progression that, already during the week, had hinted at the overtaking: the bar of Beijing 2022 (7 medals) was surpassed in the race, and the momentum brought the Azzurri to a total of 16 on the closing day.