Paralympics, Azzurri immediately on the podium in skiing: Mazzel silver, Bertagnolli bronze

Second session of the mixed team round robin saw the Italian team engaged against Canada.

There were 8992 spectators at the Milano Santa Giulia Para Ice Hockey Arena for the first day of competition. A public never before so numerous in this discipline.

The first match for Mirko Bianchi's Azzurri (reigning Paralympic champions) ended 14-1 to the United States. The next appointment for hockey Italia will be Monday morning against China.

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics - Para Ice Hockey - Preliminary Round - Group A - United States of America vs Italy - Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milan, Italy - March 07, 2026. Stephan Kafmann of Italy in action with Jack Wallace of United States REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Halfway through the third half.

Paralympic ice hockey, like wheelchair curling, is a discipline in which one participates only when seated, and is a team sport played by athletes with physical disabilities of the lower limbs. Each team, on the ice, fields six players (including the goalkeeper).

The athletes move by means of sleds mounted on two blades, with which they glide across the ice.

The second half ended and the Americans stretched.

Over 200 kilos of pasta and a thousand portions of tiramisu a day to feed 1,650 people housed in the three Paralympic Villa in Cortina, Predazzo and Milan. These are some of the figures released by the organisers of the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics, which opened yesterday in Verona and are already in full swing today with the first medals. The briefing, in the curling stadium of Cortina D'Ampezzo, was attended by Craig Spence, Chief Brand and Communications Officer of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrea Varnier, Ceo of Milano Cortina 2026 and Andrea Francisi, Chief Games Operations Officer of the Games. "We have 140 buses and 35 shuttles," Francisi reported, "fully accessible, in use since the first day the delegations arrived. We host 900 people in Cortina, 400 in Predazzo and 350 in Milan". Varnier recalled the ceremony at the Arena, "a magical place", thanking the 400 volunteers, 200 artists and 300 technicians. Broadcast by Rai1, it achieved a peak share of 26.3%; tickets sold were the same as those of the Games' closing ceremony on 22 February. "We were happy," Varnier added, "to see so many people at the Paralympic Alpine skiing. Our ticket campaign was launched right after the Olympics, and today we have seen so many people at the skiing and snowboarding, which are almost sold out. We were confident about Paralympic ice hockey in Milan. That's why we hosted it in the main venue'. As for the legacy on accessibility, he pointed out that '20 million euro has been invested in Verona, not only to make the Arena accessible but also in places such as the railway station. There was also an investment of 80 million in Milan, where all metro stations are now accessible'. On media coverage, Spence recalled that TV rights have been sold to 20 holders for 126 countries, plus a streaming partner in those that do not hold rights. 'This coverage,' he added, 'is important, it changes attitudes towards people with disabilities. It is what makes this so unique compared to all the other major sporting events on the planet. In Paris, 73 per cent of television viewers around the world said they had a more positive perception of people with disabilities after watching the Paralympic Games. Thanks to the extensive media coverage we have here, we will see a similar impact on how change starts with sport and how this event is the catalyst for it," he concluded.

The Azzurri of Paralympic ice hockey are on the ice, in Milan, against the United States: the most successful national team ever since 1994, when the discipline entered the Paralympics. Five golds to the credit for the Americans, four consecutive between 2010 and 2022. An extremely uphill match: 7-1 to the Stars and Stripes national team at the start of the second half.

Nothing to do for the Ioriatti-Bertò duo, the Latvians win.

The last round began with Italia down by four lengths. The compass measurement was repeated four times at the end of the seventh end and put Latvia further ahead.

"Well well", but it is the Latvian player who says it. Our opponents' advantage increases: 7-4 to Latvia in the penultimate end (in progress).

"Glory to Ukraine. I am really happy and I would like to dedicate my victory to all the people and the Ukrainian army because we are living in difficult times in Ukraine. We are at war and Ukraine is fighting. We are also trying to represent Ukraine as much as possible. I am really happy that I won the gold medal today, so we will have the anthem of Ukraine. I would also like to thank everyone who supported me, especially in Ukraine'. Thus athlete Oleksabndra Kononova, gold in the para biathlon sprint in Tesero, at the Paralympics in Milan Cortina. 'It was hard work. It takes many hours of training but also self-confidence. I am grateful to the people who believed in me, and I am also very grateful to our president (NPC) Valeriy Sushkevych. He really helped us to train in the situation we are in, because it is not easy to train when there is war. I have two children and I am also very motivated by them because I wanted to bring a gold medal to my children. I haven't seen them for three months and I am very happy to have won a gold medal,' she concluded.

When the sixth end is underway. The situation became complicated for the blue pair.

The Azzurri Ioriatti-Bertò, who had started ahead, suffered a setback. The situation at the fourth end was a draw between Italia and Latvia.

Milan Cortina: Abodi 'Anthems and flags readmitted by Ipc mortify Olympic truce'

(ANSA) - ROME, 07 MAR - "Olympics and Paralympics passed the baton in the marvellous Arena of Verona that welcomed the opening ceremony of the XIV Paralympic Games. The lights, the music, the choreography rich in meaning, besides enchanting us, immersed us in an enveloping and involving human dimension". This was written on X by the Minister for Sport and Youths, Andrea Abodi. 'The joy in the eyes of the few athletes who paraded moved us, but our thoughts did not lose sight of those who were absent,' he added. 'Competition time is back, in this wonderful second chapter of the Games in Italia. We will cheer passionately for our Azzurri and we will be close to all the athletes of each country, who have deserved to compete, but not to the two flags and anthems readmitted by the Ipc. which mortified the value of the Olympic Truce, disrespecting an invaded and devastated nation, Ukraine, and its suffering people. Come on guys, finally now it's your turn!". (ANSA).

On a day with spring-like temperatures, Tesero hosted the biathlon sprint competitions of the Milan Cortina Paralympics, dominated by Ukraine and China with five medals won by each nation. Only two Italians were present at the start. In the sitting category, gold went to American Oksana Masters, ahead of compatriot Kendall Gretsch and German Anja Wicker. The men's race was won by Ukraine's Taras Rad, ahead of China's Mengtao Liu and Zixu Liu. italian Marco Pisani took 17th place. Ukrainian victory also in the women's standing event with Oleksandra Kononova. Silver for Canada's Natalie Wilkie and bronze for Ukraine's Liudmyla Liashenko. Chinese double success in the men's race with Jiayun Cai and Xiaobin Liu, ahead of Germany's Marco Maier. Italy's Cristian Toninelli finished the race in 16th position. Among the visually impaired, who are assisted by acoustic signals at the shooting range, China's Yue Wang came out on top, ahead of the Czech Carina Edlingerova and Germany's Leonie Maria Walter. Ukrainian hat-trick in the men's competition with Oleksandr Kazik, Iaroslav Reshetynskyi and Anatolii Kovalevskyi.

'Olympics and Paralympics must be held at the same time, under the same symbol. And it would be much more dignified for everyone if our athletes paraded together in a single ceremony'. So says Alessandra Locatelli, Minister for Disabilities, in an interview with Il Resto del Carlino. "People with disabilities - she adds - are not the same as 50 years ago, they have achieved important goals and it is right that they have the same opportunities. Our athletes have the right, given their commitment, constant training and great results, to have the same visibility as all top-level athletes. Today this is still not the case, and I don't like it'. Do the symbols of sport help on this path? 'They are useful in pushing towards a different culture,' Locatelli continues. 'To date, this separation does not help to meet everyone's right to live a life fully as citizens in all fields. Champions can help to get a new look, to look at potential and not limits. But always, not only when there are Paralympics. And there is another difference that I don't like'. What does he expect to remain once these Paralympics are over? 'In addition to the legacies that have been talked about so much,' says the Minister for Disabilities, 'especially for a historic site like the Arena of Verona, these Games are a strong signal for the accessibility of the facilities. Above all, however, I hope that when the competitions are over and the spotlights are turned off there can be continuity, in the awareness of everyone that these great events are not only sporting events, but speak to us about overcoming all limits even in everyday life,' he added. 'We have a duty to work even harder to guarantee everyone's full right to citizenship, which is not only in sport, but is in work, social and relational life and therefore concerns everyone. No one can be called out,' Locatelli concludes.

Second Italian medal at the Paralympics in Milan Cortina. Giacomo Bertagnolli took bronze in the vision impaired downhill together with guide Andrea Ravelli. Gold went to Austrian Johannes Aigner, second place to Canadian Kalle Ericsson.

Verona (ITA) 07/03/2026 XIV Giochi Paralimpici Invernali di Milano Cortina 2026 Discesa libera Giacomo Bertagnolli foto mezzelani GMT-CIP

Italy's first Paralympic medal in Milan Cortina was won by Chiara Mazzel, who took silver in the visually impaired AS2 downhill, guided by Nicola Cotti Cottini on the Tofane slope in Cortina D'Ampezzo. The Italian athlete placed 48 hundredths behind the Austrian Veronika Aigner (AS3, guided by Lilly Sammer), who won with 1'22"55. Third was the Slovakian Alexandra Rexova (AS2) guided by Sophia Polak. In fifth place was another Italian, Martina Vozza led by Ylenia Sabidussi. For Mazzel, an athlete of the Fiamme Gialle, it is the first Paralympic medal in her career. In her palmares there are three gold and two silver world championships.

Verona (ITA) 07/03/2026 XIV Giochi Paralimpici Invernali di Milano Cortina 2026 Discesa libera femminile foto mezzelani GMT-CIP

Further reading

Paralympics, Verona starts with the right feet, prostheses and wheels

07 March 2026