Former Olympian Emanuel Perathoner has claimed Italy’s first gold medal of their home Winter Paralympics with a dominant victory in the men’s snowboard cross.
A historic transition
The 39-year-old stormed to victory in the LL2 lower limb category to cap a remarkable sporting transformation.
He finished more than three seconds ahead of Australian silver medallist Ben Tudhope, with Korea’s Lee Jehyuk taking bronze.
Perathoner has now joined an exclusive club of approximately 20 athletes to have competed at both the Olympics and Paralympics.
Having represented Italy at two Winter Olympics, his able-bodied career appeared over following a devastating crash one year before Beijing 2022.
The road to recovery
The South Tyrolean suffered multiple fractures and “destroyed” his knee, eventually requiring a total joint replacement.
He initially focused simply on learning to walk again, believing his competitive days were behind him because he “still had all the pieces” of his body.
However, a chance meeting with the national para-snowboard team at a training camp in Stelvio convinced him a new path was possible.
“I knew something about the Paralympic world, but until you’re in it, you don’t realize how competitive it is: how ignorant I was.”
Perathoner told Italian outlet La Gazzetta.
Dominance on home snow
Since making his para-debut in late 2022, the Italian has been a formidable force despite limited mobility in his ankle and knee.
He arrived in Cortina as the overwhelming favourite, boasting 31 World Cup medals and three World Championship titles.
That form continued on Sunday as he eased through the preliminary rounds before delivering a masterclass in the final.
It marked a poignant moment for the local favourite, who celebrated in front of his family near his hometown.
“I thought: the last four years have been totally worth it. All the work that I was putting in, and all the travelling, all the time away from home, it was totally worth it.”
Hernandez defends title at 51
There was further history in the women’s event as France’s Cecile Hernandez successfully defended her title.
The 51-year-old claimed her second successive gold medal just moments before Perathoner’s triumph.
It takes her overall tally to five medals across four Games, 12 years after winning silver in Sochi.
Lindsey Vonn has surrendered her lead in the World Cup downhill standings following Laura Pirovano’s back-to-back victories in Val di Fassa.
The American speed specialist had dominated the discipline throughout January, finishing on the podium in every race prior to her season-ending injury.
However, a complex leg break sustained during a horrific crash at the Winter Olympics required multiple surgeries, leaving the 41-year-old unable to defend her advantage.
Vonn had been pursuing a record-extending ninth World Cup downhill title before her campaign was curtailed.
Pirovano’s shock breakthrough
Pirovano capitalised on Vonn’s absence to claim the standings lead, securing victory by just 0.01 seconds on consecutive days in the Dolomites.
It marks a career-defining performance for the 28-year-old Italian, who had failed to reach the podium in her previous 124 World Cup starts.
The home favourite edged out Germany’s Emma Aicher on Friday before scraping inside Cornelia Huetter’s time by the finest of margins on Saturday.
Corinne Suter, the 2022 Olympic champion, finished third on Saturday, trailing the leader by 0.05 seconds despite reaching speeds close to 133kph (83mph).
Shiffrin eyes overall glory
Pirovano now sits atop the downhill standings, 36 points clear of the sidelined Vonn, with one race remaining at Kvitfjell on 21 March.
Emma Aicher remains in contention in second place, though her finish outside the top 10 on Saturday proved beneficial for Mikaela Shiffrin in the overall classification.
Shiffrin, who recently claimed Olympic slalom gold, holds a 117-point lead over Aicher in the race for the overall crystal globe.
The technical specialist is chasing a sixth career overall title and could extend her advantage in Sunday’s super-G.
Kelly Gallagher has returned to the Paralympics GB fold in an advisory capacity to guide the next generation of winter athletes ahead of the Milano Cortina Games.
Mixing youth and experience
The retired skier created history at Sochi 2014 by becoming Britain’s first Winter Paralympic champion.
She has now taken up a mentorship role to support the 25-strong squad selected for the upcoming Games.
Gallagher believes the blend of seasoned veterans and debutants offers a strong platform for success.
“There are multi-medallists returning to the Games and then we have got a big group of people for whom this is their first time,” Gallagher said.
“We have got Britain’s first female snowboarder in Nina Sparks and I think just them getting to the start line and putting in their best prepared performance is going to be really, really special to watch.”
Medal targets and unpredictability
UK Sport has set a formal target of between two and five medals for the team in Italy.
This represents a slight adjustment from the six podium finishes achieved at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics.
The former Super-G specialist acknowledges the inherent volatility of sliding on snow and ice.
“Keeping it all together and focusing just on your performance can be really, really difficult,” she added.
“Winter sports are just really unpredictable, so it is hard to predict medals and hang your hopes on any one person.”
However, the Northern Irish athlete remains optimistic about the depth of talent available.
“The fact that we have got so much experience and it is spread out so much means there could be medals out there.”
Raising the bar
Gallagher says her confidence stems from the rising standards and changing attitudes within disability sport.
She notes that the levels of achievement athletes are reaching now are constantly increasing.
Reflecting on her own partnership with guide Charlotte Evans, she highlights how the sport has evolved since her debut.
“When I first began with sport it was very much like an investment in my own kind of time, my own little journey and my own adventure,” she explained.
Lindsey Vonn has returned to the gym just four weeks after suffering a broken leg during a crash at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
The 41-year-old American crashed out of her opening downhill attempt, having already ruptured a cruciate ligament in practice days earlier.
Following surgery and a hospital stay that required a blood transfusion, the skier has shared videos on social media showing her lifting weights.
Footage also appeared to show the four-time World Cup overall champion placing weight on her injured leg.
‘The only goal is to get healthy’
Vonn posted the update to her followers alongside a caption acknowledging the difficulty of her rehabilitation.
“Definitely some hard times, but still thankful… still working hard,” she wrote.
“The only goal is to get healthy. One day at a time.”
NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James was among those offering support to the skiing legend.
“You Got This!! Small thing to a GIANT!! LFG!!” James commented.
Physical and mental recovery
The severity of the crash had initially left Vonn relying on a wheelchair, with a broken right ankle compounding the leg fracture.
She previously admitted the recovery process was taking a significant psychological toll.
“My physical battle began the second I got hurt but the mental battle started today,” Vonn said last month.
“It hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s a battle I’m used to because I’ve done it so many times.”
The Vancouver 2010 gold medallist noted that low haemoglobin levels from blood loss during surgery had extended her hospitalisation.
“I have always learned from every injury,” she added.
“Each one has made me a better and stronger person in different ways… but the battle of the mind can be dark and hard and unrelenting.”
Zoe Atkin has claimed a bronze medal in the freestyle skiing halfpipe at Milano-Cortina 2026, securing Team GB’s most successful Winter Games in history.
The 23-year-old produced a brilliant display in Livigno to reach the podium, four years after finishing ninth on her Olympic debut in Beijing.
Her success adds to the family collection, mirroring the bronze medal won by her older sister Izzy in the slopestyle event at PyeongChang 2018.
Atkin had arrived in Italy as a heavy favourite, having recently won X Games gold and topping the qualification standings.
Sibling rivalry drives success
The younger Atkin sister revealed she had left a specific gap on her trophy shelf in Utah before travelling to the Games to “manifest” the result.
While she ultimately matched her sibling’s achievement, friendly rivalry remains a key motivator for the pair.
“Obviously part of me wanted to one-up her and have a better medal than she does,” Atkin said.
“But I’ll accept the bronze because I think it’s really cute that we have, like, little twin medals.”
Izzy was present in Italy to witness the moment, creating what the medallist described as a “full circle moment” for the family.
Scoring debate surrounds final
Despite the celebrations, the final standings generated significant discussion regarding the judging criteria.
Defending champion Eileen Gu took gold for China, while her compatriot Li Fanghui edged the Briton into third place by just half a point.
Many observers felt the scoring did not adequately reward the former X Games champion’s superior amplitude.
Atkin reached heights of 5.4m above the halfpipe, soaring significantly higher than her podium rivals.
Redemption and future goals
The podium finish offers immense relief following the disappointment of her ninth-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Games.
A solid first run in the final eased the pressure, ensuring she remained in medal contention despite a fall on her second attempt.
“Once I landed that first run, the relief I felt was so palpable,” she admitted.
With a bronze secured and the British team celebrating a historic medal haul, eyes are already turning toward the ultimate goal at the French Alps in 2030.
Great Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian Menna Fitzpatrick says reaching her third Games feels “really special” after overcoming significant injuries to compete in Milan-Cortina.
The 27-year-old Welsh skier faces the starting gate almost three months after sustaining a significant knee injury and just over a year after breaking her leg.
Fitzpatrick has been named as one of Great Britain’s flagbearers for Friday’s opening ceremony, alongside Scottish Para-Nordic skier Scott Meenagh.
“I’m definitely feeling the love and support from all the team around me,” Fitzpatrick said.
“I’ve got a lot more family and friends coming out so I’m really excited to get it under way.”
Flagbearer duties and recovery
Despite the honour of leading the delegation, the pair will not attend the event at the Verona Arena in person as they are scheduled to compete the following morning.
Instead, the duo will participate via a pre-recorded video sequence shown during the parade of nations alongside their team-mates.
Fitzpatrick admitted it was “crazy” to contemplate her third Paralympics, noting that reaching this stage carried extra significance due to her fitness battles over the past 12 months.
The six-time Paralympic medallist suffered a knee issue during training in December but declined surgery to ensure her participation in Italy.
“It’s definitely changed my approach,” she explained.
“After being injured it’s just getting your head down in the gym and getting in to the best possible shape I can.”
“I’ve had some really good training on snow in the last couple of weeks with my guide so actually it’s just changed the whole goal and actually being able to enjoy it, look at it and not put any pressure on ourselves.”
Communication is key
On the slopes, the vision-impaired skier relies on her guide, Katie Guest, to navigate the technical course at high speeds.
Although physically unattached, the pair maintain constant contact through a helmet communication system.
“She will ski the line in front of me, telling me exactly what’s coming up, what she’s doing with the skis and then a second later I basically try and copy that in the best possible way I can,” Fitzpatrick said.
With the opening race scheduled for Saturday, the athlete now has a brief window to acclimatise to the athletes’ village and the snow conditions.
Speaking about her family’s attendance, she added: “They’ll definitely be with me all the way, they’ve been really supportive over the last few years especially.”
“They love the viewing, watching the races and cheering me on so they’ll have a great time no matter what happens.”
Presenter Laura Woods has defended freestyle skier Eileen Gu after the multiple Olympic champion was criticised for her reaction to a reporter’s question.
Record-breaking games
Gu claimed three medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina to cement her status as the most decorated female freeski athlete in history.
The 22-year-old secured gold in the halfpipe alongside silver medals in slopestyle and big air, taking her career tally to six Olympic podium finishes.
However, a post-event interview went viral after the American-born Chinese athlete was asked if she viewed her two second-place finishes as gold medals “lost”.
‘Ridiculous perspective’
The freeskier rejected the premise of the question, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining such a high level of performance across multiple games.
“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that’s an answer in and of itself,” Gu said.
“Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise.”
“The two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing.”
Reaction and criticism
The response drew sharp criticism from American journalist Megan Basham, who described the skier as “awful” and accused her of “off the chart levels of arrogance”.
“I don’t care how many medals she has, there is nothing about her I would encourage my daughters to emulate,” Basham wrote on social media.
Basham also referenced the athlete’s decision to represent China, claiming she had betrayed her country of birth.
Popular sports presenter Woods hit back at the comments, describing the criticism levelled at the freeskier as a “baffling take”.
Gu, who was born in San Francisco, has faced intense scrutiny regarding her nationality since switching allegiance to China in 2019.
Italian biathlete Tommaso Giacomel has successfully undergone heart surgery after breathing difficulties forced him to withdraw while leading an Olympic race.
The 25-year-old pulled out of the 15km mass start event on Friday after experiencing severe physical distress.
Medical examinations subsequently revealed an atrial conduction abnormality requiring intervention.
The Italian Winter Sports Federation confirmed that a minor operation to correct the issue has been performed and was a "complete success".
‘Body stopped working’
Giacomel, who won a silver medal at the Milano Cortina Games on 8 February, had been on course for another podium finish before the incident.
The skier described the alarming moment he was forced to stop on social media.
"Right after the second prone my body somehow stopped working properly and I was really struggling to breathe and to move, therefore I had to stop."
An ablation procedure was recommended following the health scare.
He is expected to be discharged from hospital on Thursday.
Road to recovery
The Milano Cortina silver medallist will undergo further medical checks in two weeks.
Following these assessments, he is expected to be cleared to return to regular training.
The International Biathlon Union has publicly wished the athlete a "smooth recovery".
This was Giacomel’s second appearance at a Winter Games.
He previously competed at Beijing 2022, where his best result was a seventh-place finish in the men’s relay.
While he secured success in the mixed relay earlier this month, his individual campaign was brought to a premature end.