2026 Paralympics Finale: Ukrainian Athletes Compete in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo

Closing Day of the 2026 Winter Paralympics

According to Главком: The eighth and final day of competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics will take place on March 15, 2026, in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. This day concludes the Paralympic sports program with the last events in Para Alpine Skiing, Para Cross-Country Skiing, and Para Ice Hockey. Ukrainian athletes are set to compete in five events across Para Cross-Country Skiing and Para Alpine Skiing.

Maksym Geliuta will represent Ukraine in Para Alpine Skiing. In Para Cross-Country Skiing, the Ukrainian team features Pavlo Bal, the reigning World Championship silver medalist in the sitting class, and Oleksandra Kononova, a bronze medalist from the last World Championships in the standing class. All event times listed are in Kyiv time (EET).

Schedule for Day Eight of the 2026 Paralympic Games

• 9:00 - Para Alpine Skiing - Slalom (Vision Impaired, Standing). Men. First run.
• 9:00 - Para Cross-Country Skiing - 20km Individual. Women, sitting.
• 9:15 - Para Cross-Country Skiing - 20km Individual. Men, sitting.
• 10:45 - Para Cross-Country Skiing - 20km Individual. Women, standing.
• 11:00 - Para Cross-Country Skiing - 20km Individual. Men, standing.
• 12:05 - Para Ice Hockey - Bronze Medal Game. China vs. Czechia.
• 12:20 - Para Cross-Country Skiing - 20km Individual. Women, vision impaired.
• 12:30 - Para Cross-Country Skiing - 20km Individual. Men, vision impaired.
• 13:00 - Para Alpine Skiing - Slalom (Vision Impaired, Standing). Men. Second run.
• 16:05 - Para Ice Hockey - Gold Medal Game. USA vs. Canada.

Prominent Ukrainian athlete Valeriy Sushkevych commented on an incident involving the family of a Ukrainian champion who traveled from Ternopil: 'The family of the Ukrainian champion came from Ternopil, bought tickets, entered the stadium with a Ukrainian flag, wearing Ukrainian clothing. They were stopped, their flag was confiscated, and the champion's mother had her scarf with a Ukrainian ornament taken away. Only after being, excuse me, stripped of these items, were they allowed onto the stadium grounds.'

This final day promises to be a significant moment for Ukrainian sport on the global stage. The conclusion of the Paralympics offers Ukrainian athletes a platform to showcase their resilience and compete for medals, which can serve as a powerful morale boost for the nation. The incident involving the confiscation of national symbols has sparked outrage and underscores the complex political backdrop against which these athletes compete, highlighting the importance of national identity in international sporting events.