2026 Winter Paralympics Medals: 13 March Highlights – Italian Feats and Legends in Competition
What a spectacle, folks! We are right in the thick of the 8th Paralympic Winter Games here in Milano Cortina 2026, and today, 13 March, is serving up emotions we won't forget anytime soon. The icy wind whipping across the slopes does nothing to cool the crowd's enthusiasm – everyone in the stands and watching on TV is on the edge of their seats, celebrating every hundredth of a second. So much is on the line today, and Italy is right there, fighting tooth and nail to climb as high as possible in the medal standings.
A day to remember for Italy
Wow, just wow! Fantastic news coming in from the snow in Cortina. In the men's giant slalom snowboard, one of the most spectacular events on the program, our Italian athletes delivered a breathtaking performance. The course was treacherous, with that icy surface sending shivers down your spine, but our guys attacked from the very first gate to the last. A silver medal that feels like gold, considering how it happened: an incredible comeback in the second run that brought the house down. And that's not all – in today's biathlon, we narrowly missed the podium, finishing just outside the top three twice. The tally at the end of the day? Two incredibly hard-fought medals keeping us right in the thick of the top rankings. Go Azzurri! The wind is in our sails!
Legends and champions: Verena Bentele and Oksana Masters
But the Winter Paralympic Games are not just about the race for medals; they are also the stage for the greatest icons of Paralympic sports. Today was absolute proof of that, featuring two true legends.
First up, Germany's Verena Bentele. She may no longer compete, but her spirit looms large over every biathlon and cross-country skiing event. She was in the stands today watching the women's races, and you can bet her presence is incredibly moving for all the athletes. Just looking at her reminds you of her 12 Paralympic gold medals and her incredible life story. A living legend who still passes that amazing fighting spirit on to the younger generation.
And then there's USA's Oksana Masters. If you look up the word "fighter" in the dictionary, her picture should be right there. Born in Ukraine with birth defects caused by the Chernobyl disaster, she has overcome every barrier to become an icon in multiple sports. In today's biathlon, she put on yet another masterclass: a rocket start, textbook precision at the shooting range, and a solo finish that earned her yet another medal for her collection. Oksana doesn't just win; she captivates, she inspires, she takes your breath away. She embodies the purest spirit of these Games.
The medal tally and top results from 13 March
If you're a stats and rankings junkie like me, here's a snapshot of what went down today on the snow in Lombardy and Veneto. A truly action-packed day that has reshuffled the overall standings.
- Men's giant slalom snowboard: Gold goes to France's Maxime Montaggioni, Silver to Italy's Manuel Pozzerle, and Bronze to Austria's Simon Wallner. Our Manuel was absolutely on fire!
- Women's 7.5km biathlon (standing): Gold for USA's Oksana Masters, Silver for Canada's Brittany Hudak, and Bronze for Germany's Anja Wicker. Masters is simply phenomenal.
- Men's 10km biathlon (sitting): Gold for China's Liu Mengtao, Silver for Ukraine's Taras Rad, and Bronze for Norway's Trygve Steinar Toskedal. China keeps churning out impressive results.
- Women's giant slalom alpine skiing (visually impaired): Gold for Great Britain's Menna Fitzpatrick, Silver for Slovakia's Henrieta Farkasova, and Bronze for Austria's Barbara Aigner. A competition of the highest technical calibre.
Looking at this picture, you've got to say one thing: beyond the colour of the medals, what truly counts is the spectacle and the athletes' incredible ability to turn adversity into beauty. We're only halfway through these marvellous 8th Paralympic Winter Games, and the standard is already incredibly high. Forza Italia, keep dreaming big!