Paralympics, immense Azzurri: Bertagnolli in gold, Mazzel, Pelizzari and De Silvestro silver in alpine skiing

The interview with the Italian national team at the microphones of the Italian Paralympic Committee.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent congratulatory messages to Russian athletes Varvara Voronchikhina and Anastasia Bagiyan, who won gold medals in the Super-G standing and classic cross-country sprint respectively at the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games. "We are proud of you and your teammates who are honourably competing under the national flag," reads the message to Voronchikhina, broadcast on Ria Novosti's Telegram channel. "Thanks to preparation and, fortitude and character, you have filled the piggy bank of Russia's national team with the champions' medal," reads the congratulatory message directed at Anastasia Bagiyan.

Italy's largest manufacturers of orthopaedic aids and mobility aids, each with a turnover of more than 5 million and a workforce of more than 17 employees, have developed an aggregate turnover of more than 1.3 billion euro in 2024 (+4.8% over 2023 and +17.3% over 2022), employing more than 5 thousand people (+0.5% over 2023 and +7.6% over 2022). Estimates for 2025 indicate an increase in revenue of around 5%, with a forecast of +7% for 2026. These are the results of an analysis by Area Studi Mediobanca released on the occasion of the Milan-Cortina Paralympics. The study examines the financial data of the 51 leading Italian companies that are part of the broader MedTech sector, which is estimated to be worth $650 billion worldwide in 2025, with growth expectations of 5% per annum in the short term, driven by an ageing population, technological development and the progressive digitalisation of healthcare. In Italia, according to the Centro Studi di Confindustria Dispositivi Medici,MedTech is worth almost EUR 19 billion and has more than 4,600 companies employing approximately 130,500 people. In our country, the sector is fragmented and very heterogeneous, with small and medium-sized companies joining the multinationals. The contribution of foreign-controlled operators has increased to 48.8% of turnover in 2025 and the number of companies has risen from ten to twelve.

The first reaction of the two Azzurri in a video by the Italian Paralympic Committee.

Chiara Mazzel and Nicola Cotti Cottini with silver in their hands.

Foto Scaccini GMT CIP

A symbol of the Italian Paralympics, Giacomo Bertagnolli is the athlete who has been able to transform visual disability into a challenge against the wind. Class of 1999, born in Cavalese, already flag bearer at the closing of PyeongChang 2018 and at the opening of Beijing 2022, skiing for him is freedom: "It is a way to challenge myself and have fun," explains the champion. A path shared since 2019 with guide Andrea Ravelli: a total understanding where successes and falls become stages of common growth. After his resounding debut in PyeongChang and the sparkling exploit in Beijing - where he won two golds and two silvers - Bertagnolli in Milan Cortina 2026 has already won three medals in three races. Bronze in the Downhill Downhill, silver in the Super G and now gold in the Combined, again led by Andrea Ravelli. "The adrenaline of the downhill is priceless, feeling the air on you is fantastic," says the Italian, who still remembers with emotion the Korean debut, lived without pressure and turned into an unexpected triumph. In Milan Cortina came the confirmation of a legend.

This is how the Italian national commented on her silver medal at the microphones of the Italian Paralympic Committee.

Alpine Skiing: SILVER Rene de Silvestro in the Combined Sitting category

It is podium for sure. Waiting for the colour of the medal.

Here comes another medal for Italia, the third today and the eighth since the start of the Paralympics. Federico Pelizzari took silver in the Alpine Ski Combined, standing category. On the fourth day of competition, the Azzurri surpassed the number of medals won at Beijing 2022 (seven) and took another step towards the record of thirteen medals, which has stood since Lillehammer 1994.

Second gold medal for Russia at the Paralympics in Milan Cortina. In cross-country skiing, Anastasiia Bagiian won the sprint race in the visually impaired category in Tesero ahead of the two Germans Leonie Maria Walter and Linn Kazmaier. No Italian national team had qualified for the cross-country finals.

In the combined slalom standing, Federico Pellizzari in provisional first place.

The haul of the Italian Paralympians at the Winter Games in Milan Cortina rises to seven medals. Three golds, three silvers and one bronze so far for us. Equalled the medal table of Beijing 2022, but with one more gold.

Class of 1996, born in Cavalese - in Trentino - for Chiara Mazzel skiing was the picklock to break the silence. Struck down at the age of 18 by a fulminating glaucoma that rendered her almost blind, the star athlete from Vigo di Fassa turned two years of isolation into a 'second life' made of snow and speed. "I realised I was an international athlete when I accepted the disability: from there, the road was downhill,' says the Italian. The world became aware of her crystalline talent at the Espot 2023 World Championships, where Chiara signed a legendary feat by winning three golds (Downhill, Super-G and Combined). These achievements, combined with an iron determination to overcome a recent knee injury, led her to be chosen, together with René De Silvestro, as Italy's flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony of Milan Cortina 2026. The honour of being flag-bearer did not materialise - there was no flag-bearer in Verona due to a decision by the Ipc - but Mazzel has made up for this with three medals in three competitions (so far). These Paralympics will be a real marathon for her, who is involved in five disciplines. 'If you want, you can do anything,' said the Fassa champion on the eve of Milan Cortina 2026.

Palmares:

ITALY-GERMANY 2-1 (1-1, 1-0, 0-0)

Italia Kasslatter (Stillitano); Enderle-Macrì; Rosa-Larch-Depaoli; Landeros-Antiochi; Kalegaris-Kafmann-Andreoni; Remotti Marnini-Radice-Torella. Coach: Mirko Bianchi.

GERMANY Kunst (Muhelhans); Raedler-Stumpe; Disveld-Rennhack-Hering; Kuhli Lauenstein-Brelage; Reimann-Malchin-Schrader; Pilz-Bussmann-Wedde. Coach: Peter Willmann.

REFEREE Vanek (Blazek-Wiest)

MARKERS 2'40" Bussmann (Kuhli Lauenstein, Stumpe), 11'55" Larch (Rosa, Landeros) PP1; 18'31" Landeros (Kalegaris, Macrì).

NOTES Penalties Italia 4' - Germany 8'. Shots on goal Italia 24 - Germany 12.

Spectators 4,439.

Paralimpiadi Milano Cortina 2026 - Para Ice Hockey - Turno preliminare - Gruppo A - Italia vs Germania - Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milano, Italia - 10 marzo 2026. Tifosi italiani sugli spalti REUTERS/Remo Casilli

The challenge against Germany started badly for the Azzurri, who at 2:40 minutes conceded Bussmann's counter-goal. Italia, however, were on the ball, created chances and after a long pressure, managed to level the match in numeric superiority: Larch's rebound at 11:55 seconds sealed the 1-1 with which the first half ended.

In the second period the game was much more balanced. Landeros with an individual play brings the Azzurri ahead at 18'31" thanks to a very powerful rake, then Kasslatter exalts himself on Disveld and saves the advantage. Again Landeros, with Italia in numeric superiority, comes close to the third but is bitten by an adversary defender. 2-1 at the second break.

The cross-country skiing competitions saw the first direct confrontation between Ukraine and Russia at the Paralympic Games Milan Cortina 2026. In Tesero, in the qualifications in the sitting category, all five Ukrainian athletes placed ahead of Russian Ivan Golubkov, who finished in 19th position. At the starting line Pavlo Bal, who finished third, had started only 30 seconds before the Russian competitor, who was left out of the semifinals. All five Ukrainians qualified instead. In the qualifying round of the visually impaired, Russia's Anastasiia Bagiian placed second, edging out Ukraine's Oksana Shyshikova and Romana Lobasheva, who finished eighth and ninth.

Mattia Dal Pastro failed to qualify for the semifinals in the men's cross-country skiing standing sprint category on the cross stadium circuit at Lago di Tesero. For the athlete from Marostica, who belongs to the Defence Sports Group, however, it is his debut at the Paralympics in Milan Cortina. "I will have a lot to learn and to steal with my eyes," said Dal Pastro, admitting that the sprint is not his race, as he is used to the long endurance and therefore the 20 kilometres.

Per una manciata di centesimi Giuseppe Romele non è riuscito a conquistare la dodicesima piazza, l’ultima utile per qualificarsi per le semifinali della sprint sitting uomini di sci di fondo sul circuito del lago di Tesero. Fuori anche gli altri azzurri Michele Biglione, Giuseppe Spatola e Marco Pisani. Per il campione di Pisogne, già medaglia di bronzo alle Paralimpiadi di Pechino, è stata comunque la gara per rompere il ghiaccio in attesa della “sua” gara, la 10 chilometri.

Further reading

Paralympics, Italia in gold with Emanuel Perathoner in snowboarding

08 March 2026