Paralympics, another gold for Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli

Five medals in five races. They had promised Jack and Ryan - born Giacomo Bertagnolli and his guide, Andrea Ravelli - and they kept their promise. Closing the Paralympics in Milan Cortina in the best possible way: a gold - another gold - in the men's slalom for visually impaired athletes.

"We brought this gold home again, we really needed it. It was the icing on the cake and we put it on," said Giacomo as he crossed the finish line. The second heat of the race was complicated by the weather and dense fog: "I could see very little as usual," jokes the Italian, but the poor visibility complicated everything for the guide, giving even more flavour to this first step on the podium.

Giacomo Bertagnolli, con la guida Andrea Ravelli, conquista la medaglia d'oro nello slalom paralimpico di Milano Cortina 2026, Cortina d'Ampezzo, 15 marzo 2026 ANSA / Scaccini GMT CIP

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 gold and two silver medals - Bertagnolli won five medals in five races in Milan Cortina 2026. Bronze in the visually impaired downhill, silver in the Super G and gold in the combined, then again silver in the giant slalom and - on the last day of the Paralympics - gold in the slalom, 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, experienced without pressure and transformed into an unexpected triumph. In Milan Cortina came the confirmation of a legend.

Paralimpiadi Milano Cortina 2026 - Sci alpino paraolimpico - Slalom maschile per ipovedenti - Centro sciistico Tofane, Belluno, Italia - 15 marzo 2026. L'italiano Giacomo Bertagnolli e la sua guida, l'italiano Andrea Ravelli, festeggiano dopo la seconda manche. REUTERS/Matteo Ciambelli

Italy's haul at Milan Cortina 2026 rises to 16 podiums: 7 golds. A staggering medal count for Paralympic Italia at the Winter Games, which far beats the record of Lillehammer 1994 (13 medals).

Thus, Italia placed fourth in the overall medals table - with seven gold, seven silver and two bronze medals - in three different disciplines.