2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics close as China tops medal tally

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons declared the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics closed on Sunday.

The closing ceremony, themed "Italian Souvenir", unfolded at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, a historic venue that hosted events during the 1956 Winter Olympics, before returning to the Olympic and Paralympic stage in 2026 after seven decades.

The Games officially opened on March 6 and featured 79 events across six sports in three competition clusters. Para Alpine skiing, para snowboard and wheelchair curling took place in Cortina. Para biathlon and para cross-country skiing were staged in Val di Fiemme, while para ice hockey was held in Milan.

With more than 600 athletes representing 55 delegations, the 14th Winter Paralympics marked the event's 50th anniversary since the inaugural edition in 1976 in Montreal. It was also the first time for the program to return to Italy since the 2006 Turin Games, with El Salvador, Haiti, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Portugal all making their debuts in the competition.

"These Paralympic Winter Games have been a record-breaking success," Parsons said in his closing speech. "The biggest and most beautiful Winter Paralympics with more athletes, more teams, more women and more global broadcast and digital coverage than ever before."

The IPC chief is confident the competitions will have a lasting impact.

"Every race and every match told a story – a story of resilience and a story of possibility," he added. "A story that will inspire long after these Games close. Change starts with sport and the true power of these Games goes far beyond competition."

China topped the medal table with 15 golds, 13 silvers and 16 bronzes, marking the delegation's best-ever performance at an overseas Winter Paralympics. Runners-up the USA claimed 13 golds, five silvers and six bronzes, followed by Russia in third with eight golds, one silver and three bronzes. Host nation Italy finished fourth with seven golds, seven silvers and two bronzes.

Para cross-country skier and biathlete Cai Jiayun and wheelchair curler Wang Meng served as China's flagbearers at the closing ceremony.

Cai won China's first gold medal of the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics and finished with three para biathlon golds in total.

In wheelchair curling mixed doubles, a newly introduced event at the Winter Paralympics, Wang and Yang Jinqiao combined to earn a historic gold for China.

"As the Paralympic flame is extinguished, the spirit it represents does not fade. It travels home with every athlete, every spectator and every viewer, every one of them watching tonight inspired by these remarkable days," Parsons noted.

The ceremony also revisited emotional moments from the Games and paid tribute to organizers, volunteers and participants. The Paralympic flag was handed over to the hosts of the 2030 edition in the French Alps.

"I call upon Paralympic athletes from all over the world to meet again in the French Alps in four years' time when, once again, Paralympic sport will transform the world," Parsons concluded.