Olympics – Winnipeg Free Press

Natalie Wilkie receives her gold medal for the 12.5km Individual Biathlon at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Val di Fiemme on Sunday March 8, 2026. // Le 8 mars 2026, Natalie Wilkie reçoit la médaille d'or de l’épreuve individuelle de de biathlon 12,5 km aux Jeux paralympiques d’hiver de 2026 à Val di Fiemme. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout – CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE-Michael P. Hall (Mandatory Credit)

Wilkie, Ideson named Canada’s flag bearers for Paralympics closing ceremony

The Canadian Press 2 minute read 2:03 PM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO - Para nordic skier Natalie Wilkie and wheelchair curler Mark Ideson have been named Canada’s closing ceremony flag bearers for the Milan Cortina Paralympics, the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced Saturday.

Wilkie, from Salmon Arm, B.C., has earned four medals (two gold, one silver, one bronze) in her third Paralympics. She still has one race remaining on Sunday morning, the Para cross-country 20 kilometres.

The 25-year-old now has 11 Paralympic medals to her name (five gold, three silvers, three bronze).

She is the first Canadian athlete to be selected to be both opening and closing ceremony flag bearer at the same Paralympic Games.

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Canadian wheelchair curling team wins gold with 4-3 triumph over China at Paralympics

The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Canadian wheelchair curling team wins gold with 4-3 triumph over China at Paralympics

The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: 3:19 PM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO - Mark Ideson finished the job and ended the run of bronze.

The skip from London, Ont., made the winning play as Canada's wheelchair curling team defeated China 4-3 to win gold at the Milan Cortina Paralympics on Saturday. It's the first gold medal in the event for Canada since 2014 after back-to-back bronze in 2018 and 2022.

"I would say the Cardiac Canadians is fitting," he said of his rink's nickname from the Games. "We seemed to put it all together at the end. Thanks to everyone for watching at home.

"It was an incredible week and amazing to finish it off."

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Updated: 3:19 PM CDT

Jon Thurston, of Canada, reacts during the wheelchair curling mixed team gold medal game versus China at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Canadian sit-skier Kurt Oatway goes for one medal after long road back to Paralympics

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Canadian sit-skier Kurt Oatway goes for one medal after long road back to Paralympics

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press 4 minute read 12:24 PM CDT

It's simply competition. And Kurt Oatway's desire is just to win and improve.

"It is a bigger race, it's a more important race, but at the end of the day it's just a race," he said of the Paralympics.

But the journey to being a two-time Paralympic medallist in Para alpine sit-skiing started from a place of nostalgia for the 42-year-old from Calgary.

"Just sitting at home watching the 2010 Vancouver Games and watching the alpine events and getting a little nostalgic about skiing," he said. "... At the time I was still doing outpatient rehab at a hospital in Saskatoon and the physiotherapist was like trying to find ideas of trying to get more active and she suggested Nordic skiing.

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12:24 PM CDT

Kurt Oatway, of Canada, competes in the alpine skiing men's downhill sitting competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Canada to face U.S. with sights set on first Paralympic ice hockey gold in 20 years

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Canada to face U.S. with sights set on first Paralympic ice hockey gold in 20 years

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: 11:57 AM CDT

Tyler McGregor has experienced all the team success there is to gain in para ice hockey.

Except for one thing: a Paralympic gold medal.

Canada's captain, from Forest, Ont., has been a fixture on the team since 2012. In that time, he has won three world championships (2013, 2017, 2024), two Paralympic silver medals (2018, 2022) and a Paralympic bronze (2014).

"I wouldn't even know how to properly define that," he said of the possibility of Canada winning gold in Italy. "It would mean the world to me. I've been a part of this like Paralympic journey now for coming up on I guess 14, 15 years or whatever. And it's something that we've been chasing this whole time that's eluded us and we've been close.

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Updated: 11:57 AM CDT

Liam Hickey, Tyler McGregor celebrate the goal against China in the Para ice hockey semifinal at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan, Italy on March 13, 2026. .THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout – CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE, , Matteo Cogliati

Ukrainian athletes talk about ‘unpleasant’ Paralympics after return of Russian flag at Milan Cortina

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Ukrainian athletes talk about ‘unpleasant’ Paralympics after return of Russian flag at Milan Cortina

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 5 minute read 2:48 PM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ukrainian athletes talked about an “unpleasant” Paralympics in Milan Cortina because of the return of the Russian flag and anthem.

The flag flew at the Paralympics for the first time since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and the anthem was played for the first time at a major global sporting event since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine boycotted the opening ceremony last week and was set to boycott the closing ceremony on Sunday as well.

Athletes from both countries have been expressing how proud they are of representing their nations during the ongoing war.

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2:48 PM CDT

Ukraine's Vasyl Kravchuk, left, Hryhorii Shymko, center, and second placed Taras Rad celebrate with their national flag after the Para Biathlon Men's Sprint Pursuit Sitting Finals at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday March 13, 2026. (Thien-An Truong/OIS/IOC via AP)

Jake Adicoff, first out gay American man to win gold in Winter Paralympics, adds to his medal tally

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Jake Adicoff, first out gay American man to win gold in Winter Paralympics, adds to his medal tally

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 4 minute read 8:42 AM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — There was no bow this time at the Milan Cortina Games for Jake Adicoff, the first out gay American male Winter Paralympic champion.

Instead, he was tackled to the ground by teammate Oksana Masters after they helped the United States win the Para cross-country mixed relay on Saturday.

“It was initially a hug, and then she kind of put all her weight into it, and then all of a sudden I was on the ground," Adicoff said. "She goes crazy, she’s got a lot of passion. She takes that to the race course and to the celebrations afterwards.”

It was a record-extending 23rd Paralympic medal for Masters, the most decorated American Winter Paralympian. Also on the U.S. team were Joshua Sweeney and Sydney Peterson.

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8:42 AM CDT

Jake Adicoff, of the United States, crosses the finish line, as his guide Reid Goble at right looks on, to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 10Km interval start classic vision impaired final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

US aims for historic clean sweep in Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

US aims for historic clean sweep in Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press 4 minute read Yesterday at 4:51 PM CDT

MILAN (AP) — The United States is looking to do something no nation has ever done: Clean sweep the ice hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics.

Standing in the way? Canada again.

Just like in the men’s and women’s tournaments at the Olympics, Sunday’s gold medal match in Para ice hockey will be between the U.S. and Canada.

“We got to do our part, right? So they got the two done, so now it’s our job and we just got to bring it home for them,” U.S. forward Kevin McKee told The Associated Press.

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Yesterday at 4:51 PM CDT

United State's Josh Pauls celebrates after scoring a goal during a semifinal hockey match between United States and Czech Republic at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

WADA to weigh barring Trump, US officials from LA Olympics and possibly World Cup over unpaid dues

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

WADA to weigh barring Trump, US officials from LA Olympics and possibly World Cup over unpaid dues

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press 7 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:23 PM CDT

The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028 in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.

The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday's meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog's executive committee, is the latest maneuver to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA. The refusal is part of the American government's unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency's handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.

The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency's decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorized to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.

WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald said “there is nothing new here,” noting that discussions related to the issue of what to do about governments withholding funding have been ongoing since 2020 and aren't directly related to the U.S.

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:23 PM CDT

FILE - FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents President Donald Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Pool, File_

From rubble to mountain: Banker who lost leg in 2010 earthquake is Haiti’s first Winter Paralympian

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

From rubble to mountain: Banker who lost leg in 2010 earthquake is Haiti’s first Winter Paralympian

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 4 minute read Yesterday at 3:16 PM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — A man who lost his left leg after being trapped for eight hours in the 2010 earthquake in Haiti made his nation proud on Friday.

Ralf Etienne became Haiti’s first ever Winter Paralympian when he competed in the giant slalom standing race at the Milan Cortina Games.

“So, ‘Haiti has a skier.’ That’s what my coach said when I came down. And that’s the most beautiful sentence I’ve heard in a long time,” Etienne said.

Etienne finished only his first run, posting the worst time, more than 30 seconds behind the leader. He was still proud of how he handled the tricky conditions at the difficult course in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

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Yesterday at 3:16 PM CDT

Haiti's Ralf Etienne competes during the Para Alpine Skiing Men's Giant Slalom Standing Run 1 competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina, Italy, Friday March 13, 2026. (Remi Vallat/OIS/IOC via AP)

Friday the 13th: Paralympics snowboarder suffers string of errors and bad luck

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Friday the 13th: Paralympics snowboarder suffers string of errors and bad luck

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 12:37 PM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — It was one of those days for Para snowboarding veteran Cécile Hernandez — one of those Friday the 13th kind of days.

The 51-year-old Frenchwoman was among the favorites to win the banked slalom race at the Milan Cortina Paralympics on Friday but when she missed the podium by finishing fourth it was the last straw.

“It has been a (expletive) day since the start," Hernandez said. “I lost my mouthguard, I spilled my coffee, we got the wrong board this morning because we forgot the board. It was just a succession of crazy things and I even wonder how I managed to finish third after the first run.”

She appeared to be crying while she passed through the media area and gestured as if not understanding what happened during her run. A member of the French team patted her on the back to console her.

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Yesterday at 12:37 PM CDT

Cecile Hernandez, of France, approaches the finish line in her second run of the snowboard women's banked slalom sb-ll2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

US Para snowboarders thrive: Elliott wins in ‘redemption Games’ and Delson earns first gold

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

US Para snowboarders thrive: Elliott wins in ‘redemption Games’ and Delson earns first gold

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 5 minute read Yesterday at 11:28 AM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Para snowboarder Noah Elliott struggled to keep it together as he crossed the finish line in his final race at the Milan Cortina Paralympics on Friday.

He knew it was a special gold-medal run in what he calls his “redemption Games.”

It capped a successful day for the United States at the conclusion of the Para snowboarding competitions at Milan Cortina; Kate Delson also won gold at her first Games, Brenna Huckaby joined Delson with her fifth Paralympic medal, and Mike Schultz earned a bronze in his final Paralympic participation.

“Oh my God, my emotions. It was so hard for me not to cry coming across that finish line,” Elliott said after winning the men's banked slalom. "I’ve worked so hard, and this is my ‘redemption Games.’ And to be able to stand atop the podium today, hear our national anthem, I couldn’t be more proud.

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Yesterday at 11:28 AM CDT

Noah Elliott of the US competing in the Para Snowboard Men's Banked Slalom SB-LL Run 1 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Canada’s Wilkie wins biathlon gold, wheelchair curling and Para hockey teams win

The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Canada’s Wilkie wins biathlon gold, wheelchair curling and Para hockey teams win

The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:47 PM CDT

LAGO - Natalie Wilkie wasn't so sure about her chances entering Friday's race.

By the end, it went as well as it possibly could.

The Canadian nordic ski star earned her second gold and fourth medal of the Milan Cortina Paralympics with a win in the women's biathlon standing sprint pursuit. Wilkie, from Salmon Arm, B.C., finished with a time of 12 minutes 18.0 seconds.

Ukraine's Iryna Bui (12:35.7) and Oleksandra Kononova (12:49.0) grabbed silver and bronze, respectively. Canadian Brittany Hudak placed ninth (13:51.3).

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Updated: Yesterday at 5:47 PM CDT

Natalie Wilkie wins gold in the Individual Biathlon in the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Val di Fiemme, Italy on Sunday March 8, 2026. //Natalie Wilkie remporte l’or à l’épreuve individuelle de 12,5 km de biathlon des Jeux paralympiques d’hiver de 2026 à Val di Fiemme, en Italie, le 8 mars 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE,

Paralympians ski in shorts and T-shirts, and some ask: Shouldn’t these Games be earlier?

Tales Azzoni, Brittany Peterson, Pat Graham And Jennifer Mcdermott, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

Paralympians ski in shorts and T-shirts, and some ask: Shouldn’t these Games be earlier?

Tales Azzoni, Brittany Peterson, Pat Graham And Jennifer Mcdermott, The Associated Press 7 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 7:44 AM CDT

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — At this month's Milan Cortina Paralympics, some athletes competed in shorts, T-shirts and tank tops. One skier lamented “tropical” conditions and a snowboarder complained that soft, slow snow put him at a disadvantage. And some worried about their safety.

“I’m here to represent the disability community on a snowboard, and I want to give the best show that I can,” three-time Paralympic gold medalist Brenna Huckaby of the U.S. said. “But I’m not going to kill myself in the process ... I've got two kids at home, and I'm already disabled. I'm not trying to disable myself more."

The warm weather at the Paralympics that run through Sunday has some athletes asking: Should these Games be held earlier in the year when cold weather is more reliable?

“If it were my decision, I would absolutely move the Olympics and Paralympics,” American Para snowboarder Zach Miller said.

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Updated: Yesterday at 7:44 AM CDT

Christina Picton, of Canada, right, competes in the cross country skiing women's 10Km interval start sitting final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Schultz ending Paralympic snowboarding career to focus on building prosthetic gear for top athletes

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Schultz ending Paralympic snowboarding career to focus on building prosthetic gear for top athletes

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press 4 minute read Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — American Para snowboarder Mike Schultz is putting an end to his competitive days at the Paralympics.

The Minnesota native will go behind the scenes to work fulltime making the prosthetic equipment that has helped so many Para athletes — including some of those who beat him this week at the Milan Cortina Games.

Seeing his business thrive from up close has helped Schultz — a three-time Paralympic medalist — go into retirement with greater peace of mind.

“It's pretty awesome to look back at my career, and all these athletes out here using the equipment I built,” he said. “Being a big part of the prosthetic performance for pretty much every other lower-limb amputee that’s racing here today using the equipment I built in my shop. So I can hold my head high, you know, big picture. I’m loving it. I’m loving it.”

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Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

Mike Schultz of the US competes in the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-LL1 Quarterfinal 2 competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday March 8, 2026. (Jed Jacobsohn/OIS/IOC via AP)

Visually impaired skier racer Meg Gustafson chases Paralympic medals with her brother as guide

Tales Azzoni And Pat Graham, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Visually impaired skier racer Meg Gustafson chases Paralympic medals with her brother as guide

Tales Azzoni And Pat Graham, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — As kids, Para ski racer Meg Gustafson followed the lead of her older brother as they explored the mountains on family vacations.

Now, he's paving the way for a chance at Paralympic medals. As a visually impaired athlete, the 16-year-old Gustafson relies on her sibling, Spenser, to guide her through the course at the Milan Cortina Games.

It’s a bond forged by years of skiing together in Minnesota and Colorado, and strengthened by honesty — they’re not afraid to share their true thoughts — and, above all, trust. Because they inspect the course together, go over a game plan together and then Meg follows the orange blur — Spenser wears that color of snow pants and jacket to stand out — down the hill.

“We try to keep the brother-sister rivalry out of the relationship before and during the race. But after the race, sometimes it comes out," the 18-year-old Spenser said with a laugh. “We’re very close on and off the slopes, and this has only made us closer.”

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Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

Meg Gustafson, of the United States, competes in the alpine skiing women's alpine combined VI slalom event at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Canadian alpine skier Alexis Guimond aims to showcase best work at Paralympics

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Canadian alpine skier Alexis Guimond aims to showcase best work at Paralympics

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

Alexis Guimond views himself as an artist of sorts.

Many hours of work behind the scenes, a short moment to put his work on display for all to see.

On Friday, the Para alpine skier from Gatineau, Que., gets one more chance to showcase his work in the men's standing giant slalom at the Milan Cortina Paralympics. He earned bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympics in the event.

"It's the pursuit of excellence. For me, to be the best in the world means something," Guimond said. "I see myself like an artist. I put thousands of hours of work that people don't really see in training, in the gym, and on the hill. And then in about a minute or two, I get that isolated moment in my life that I have to give the absolute best I can. And that's the true art of it.

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Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

March 14, 2026

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