Italy’s Paralympic Medal Count: Gold Rush at Milan Cortina 2026
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – – Italy is experiencing a golden surge at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, highlighted by a day of victories in both alpine skiing and snowboarding. The Italian team has now reached a record-breaking 14 medals surpassing the previous record of 13 set at the 1994 Lillehammer Games, and a new high of six gold medals.
De Silvestro Claims Historic Gold
René De Silvestro delivered a landmark performance in the men’s giant slalom sitting, securing his first Paralympic gold medal. He finished ahead of the Netherlands’ Jeroen Kampschreur (silver) and Norway’s Jesper Pedersen (bronze). This victory adds to De Silvestro’s impressive Paralympic medal count, which now includes silver medals from the 2022 Beijing Games in giant slalom and alpine combined, as well as a bronze in slalom from Beijing. The win marks a personal milestone and a significant contribution to Italy’s overall success.
Bertagnolli and Ravelli Secure Silver
Giacomo Bertagnolli, guided by Andrea Ravelli, claimed a silver medal in the men’s giant slalom for visually impaired athletes. The duo led after the first run but were overtaken by Austria’s Johannes Aigner and Nico Haberl in the second run. Despite missing out on gold, the silver medal represents a strong performance and brings Italy’s medal tally to 13, equaling the national record previously held since Lillehammer.
Snowboard Dominance: Perathoner and Luchini Strike Gold
The Italian snowboarding team also enjoyed a day of triumph. Emanuel Perathoner secured his second gold medal of the Games in the banked slalom SB-LL2 category, dominating the competition and finishing well ahead of Switzerland’s von Grünigen and Australia’s Ben Tudhope. Perathoner’s achievement makes him the first snowboarder to win two gold medals in a single Paralympic Games.
Shortly before Perathoner’s victory, Jacopo Luchini claimed gold in the banked slalom SB-UL category, defeating China’s Wang and Jiang. Here’s Luchini’s first Paralympic gold medal, adding to his previous successes in World Cup and World Championship competitions. His victory represents the fourth gold medal for Italy in a single Paralympic Games, another national record.
Mazzel Adds to Italy’s Medal Count
Chiara Mazzel, with her new guide Fabrizio Casal, added a silver medal in the visually impaired giant slalom. Casal replaced Nicola Cotti Cottini for the technical events. The Austrian team continued their success with Veronika Aigner winning gold.
Previous Days’ Successes
The Italian team’s strong performance builds on successes from earlier in the Games. saw Federico Pelizzari win silver in the standing alpine combined, while Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli secured gold in the visually impaired alpine combined. Chiara Mazzel, with Nicola Cotti Cottini, also won silver in the women’s downhill.
Prior to , Emanuel Perathoner had already made his mark with a gold medal in the snowboard cross SB-LL2 event. Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli also secured a bronze medal in the visually impaired downhill on , and Chiara Mazzel, guided by Nicola Cotti Cottini, won silver in the women’s downhill on .
René De Silvestro also earned a silver medal in the alpine combined category on , finishing behind Jeroen Kampschreur of the Netherlands.
Looking Ahead
Italy’s impressive performance at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games continues to captivate audiences and set new benchmarks for the nation’s winter sports program. With several days of competition remaining, the Italian team will look to build on their momentum and add to their already impressive medal haul. The team’s success is not only a testament to the dedication and skill of its athletes but also a source of national pride.