Chiara Mazzel wins gold in the visually impaired Super-G: triumph at Tofane for the Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympics

Paralympics Milan Cortina 2026: the gold medal of Chiara Mazzel in the Visually Impaired Super-G is a story that warms the heart and fills Italians with pride. Imagine the scene on the snow of the Tofane: Chiara Mazzel, a 29-year-old from Trentino representing the Fiamme Gialle, speeds down the slope with her guide Nicola Cotti Cottini, visually impaired but with a determination that defies every obstacle. Record time of 1:14.84, gold in the female AS2 category, second blue medal after the silver in downhill and fourth place for Martina Vozza with Ylenia Sabidussi, just 5.75 seconds from the podium.

A thrilling descent on home slopes

Think about how special it must be to compete in Italy, with the crowd shouting your name right on the Dolomites. The slope of the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, with its steep curves and perfect snow, saw Mazzel open the race and set an unsustainable pace for her rivals: silver for Austrian Veronika Aigner, bronze for Slovak Alexandra Rexova. It is not just a technical victory, but a triumph of human connection: Cotti Cottini, with his voice and precise movements, is the eyes that Chiara has lost since 2018, when glaucoma changed everything. Yet, from that moment, her redemption began: from amateur skiing to the Paralympic podiums, passing through three gold medals at the 2023 Espot World Championships.

Martina Vozza, in fourth place, represents the depth of our blue talent pool. 5.75 seconds behind Chiara, she narrowly missed the podium in a very tough category, where every tenth counts like an abyss. Italy is not just Mazzel: it is a growing movement, with athletes like her inspiring generations.

The heroic journey of Chiara Mazzel

The story of Chiara is like a Hollywood movie. Originally from San Giovanni di Fassa, she started skiing as a child, but at 18, the diagnosis came: congenital glaucoma. She does not give up. In 2019, she entered the Paralympics, and from there it has been an escalation: a dominant force in the World Cup, with a second place in the Super-G 2024-2025, and silver medals at the 2025 World Championships in Maribor in giant and slalom. At Beijing 2022, she finished seventh in slalom, but now, as flag bearer with René De Silvestro, she is the queen of Milano Cortina. "It’s my second home," she said after winning silver in downhill, and today the gold confirms it: the Fiamme Gialle celebrate their star, a symbol of resilience.

Imagine her daily training: hours of synchronized descents, absolute trust in the guide, the wind in her face that she cannot see but can feel. This is what makes skiing for visually impaired athletes so fascinating: not just speed, but a deep, almost telepathic connection.

Italy shines on the third day of the Paralympics

These Paralympics, from March 6 to 15 on the Lombardy-Veneto snow, are a hymn to inclusivity. After Perathoner's gold in snowboarding, Mazzel lights up alpine skiing, while Giacomo Bertagnolli aims for the men's Super-G. Curling and para ice hockey complete a varied program, with Italy climbing the medal table thanks to these authentic stories. It’s not just sport: it’s overcoming challenges, it’s Italy winning where it matters most, on home slopes.

Vozza, with Sabidussi, has room to redeem himself in giant and slalom. The blue athlete dominates the visually impaired categories, and the Tofane – with its breathtaking view of the Dolomites – witnesses a dominance that goes beyond medals.

"This gold medal weighs much more than the silver in downhill. I am very happy with how it went, especially because this morning during reconnaissance, I started having a very strong headache and almost didn’t want to start, because I couldn’t keep my balance. I am super satisfied with how I managed this issue," said Chiara Mazzel after winning the Paralympic Super-G in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Behind her was "the formidable Veronika Aigner with whom I always compete for the podium. Being able to stay ahead of her at the Paralympics is magnificent."

The guide, Nicola Cotti Cottini, recounts that despite a few mistakes, "Chiara was great, she was much more decisive than the other day, so I am very satisfied."

Why Chiara Mazzel Inspires Everyone

Chiara does not run just for herself: she is a beacon for those, like her, facing invisible limits. From glaucoma to world podiums, passing through Beijing and now Milano Cortina, she shows that Olympic dreams do not look at sight, but at the heart. Italy's Paralympics are alive, competitive, and ready to amaze again: follow the upcoming descents, because stories like this deserve the world.