Games Draw To A Close After U.S. Ice Hockey Makes History: Live Updates From 2026 Winter Paralympics

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — A closing ceremony boycotted by Ukraine signaled the end of the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics on Sunday, hours after the U.S. Para ice hockey team won the final gold medal of the Games that were marked by the return of the Russian flag and national anthem to the global sports stage.

China continued its dominance as a Paralympic powerhouse and topped the medals table with 15 golds, two more than the United States, which matched its total from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games.

The Milan Cortina Games marked the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics.

The Russian anthem, which hadn't played at the Paralympics in more than a decade, rang out eight times at Milan Cortina after the victories of Russian athletes who were competing under their own flag again at the Paralympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.

Ukraine led the boycott of both the opening and closing ceremonies to protest the presence of the Russians. It accused the International Paralympic Committee of discrimination against its athletes throughout the Games. The IPC said Ukraine seemed to try to politicize the event.

The Milan Cortina Paralympics began less than a week after the United States and Israel launched a military attack on Iran. Para cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi, the only Iranian set to compete, had to withdraw because he could not travel safely to Italy. Para skier Sheina Vaspi was the only athlete from Israel who competed.

The Paralympic Games were back in Italy 20 years after being held in Turin. It was the 14th edition of the Winter Paralympics since the inaugural edition in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, in 1976.

Russia's return

The Russian flag made its official return at the opening ceremony in Verona, and its national anthem was played for the first time at these Games after Para alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won gold last Monday.

The anthem had not been heard at any Olympics or Paralympics since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

Russian athletes were back competing under their own flag in the Winter Paralympics after years of having to do so as neutral athletes because of the country’s doping violations and military conflicts.

The return of the Russian flag and anthem was seen by some as a signal of a possible full-fledged return to Olympic circles ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Chinese dominance

After topping every Summer Paralympics since 2004, China again finished first in the medals table at the Winter Paralympics. Russia was third with eight gold medals.

China won 44 medals in total, 20 more than the Americans.

Host Italy ended in fourth place with seven gold medals, the same as Austria where siblings Veronika and Johannes Aigner dominated Para alpine skiing.

Top athletes

Veronika Aigner was one of three athletes with four gold medals, along with American Para cross-country skiers Oksana Masters and Jake Adicoff. Masters, the most decorated American Winter Paralympian, won a bronze in addition to her four gold medals. Adicoff is the first out gay American male Winter Paralympic champion.

Record Games

Milan Cortina marked the biggest Winter Paralympics ever with a total of 611 Para athletes from 55 nations, surpassing the previous record of 564 Para athletes from 48 countries in 2018.

A record number of female Para athletes competed for the fourth straight Paralympic Winter Games, the IPC said. There were 160 female competitors at Milan Cortina, 24 more than the previous record at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

A total of 27 nations won medals across 79 medal events in six sports, the greatest number of countries to win at least one medal at a Paralympic Winter Games since the 1994 Lillehammer Games.

The IPC said Milan Cortina was the most widely broadcast Paralympic Winter Games in history with 20 media rights holders broadcasting the Games to a record 126 countries.

Curling stones

Even before the Milan Cortina Games began, curling was rocked by another scandal when two stones went missing at the Curling Olympic Stadium that hosted Sunday’s closing ceremony. The incident came a couple of weeks after the sport was in the headlines during the Olympics as the Canadian team was accused of cheating.

Warm weather

The warm weather played a role at Milan Cortina, with high temperatures forcing organizers to change the schedule of some events. Athletes were seen competing in shorts, T-shirts and tank tops.

Heavy snow arrived only Sunday, and it prompted the delay of some races as well.

Next Games

The French Alps will host the 2030 Winter Paralympic Games.

IPC President Andrew Parsons said there are talks about adding more sports to those Games, including skating and sliding disciplines. He said there is also the possibility to add other disability groups such as intellectually impaired athletes.

Three weeks after the United States beat Canada in the Olympic hockey finals, the Americans overcame their neighbors again to win Paralympic gold and complete the sweep at Milan Cortina.

In front of a packed arena, Jack Wallace scored a hat trick to help the U.S. beat Canada 6-2 in Sunday’s Para ice hockey final and become the first nation to win all three of the hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics in the same year. There is currently no women’s division at the Paralympics as it is classified as an open-gender sport.

Kayden Beasley, Declan Farmer — the tournament’s MVP — and Brody Roybal scored the other goals for the U.S. Liam Hickey bagged both goals for Canada, which pushed its rivals hard before conceding three in the final period.

“I’m glad we got it done because I think there’s a little bit more pressure with the men and women getting the golds too,” U.S. captain Josh Pauls said. “But I’m happy we could do it for USA hockey and I think it really just shows like how much they … invest in the grassroots programs because we have so many young players coming up and playing pivotal roles on our teams.”

One of those he’s seen progress at close hand is Wallace.

“It doesn’t get much better than that,” Wallace said with a broad smile when asked about his hat trick.

The 27-year-old Wallace, who grew up loving hockey, had his right leg amputated above the knee after a water-skiing accident at age 10 and thought his dreams of playing the sport at the highest level were over before discovering Para ice hockey.

“I think watching Jack Wallace go from the player he was when he first started, from a kid who just wanted to be back on the ice after losing his leg and now to watch him score a hat trick, it’s just so awesome to be a part of people’s lives and to watch them succeed and put in the work,” Pauls said.

“I was on the ice for the first time when he was on his sled and so to watch those guys blossom is just the ultimate honor and to be their teammate is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Pauls said.

While the Olympics saw the U.S. men’s team win gold for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, it’s a very different story at the Paralympics.

It was a fifth straight title for the U.S. and Pauls — Wallace now has three and several of his teammates have four.

“I mean it’s kind of crazy, I can’t believe it,” Pauls said with a laugh. “I mean I don’t think you ever start out wanting to win five consecutive and to be the most decorated player in the sport and so I think this team is just so special.”

The U.S. has won six of the past seven editions of the Winter Paralympics. It was a third straight loss in the final for Canada, which won its only para ice hockey gold on Italian ice, in Turin in 2006.

Earlier, China claimed a second successive bronze medal as it fought back from conceding two goals in the opening three minutes to beat Czech Republic 3-2.

Sunday’s final set a new record attendance for the sport at a major tournament as 10,795 fans filled the near-capacity stands.

The mark had been set in the opening match of the tournament with the preliminary round game between the U.S. and host nation Italy drawing 8,992 spectators.

“I don’t think I could have imagined this,” Pauls said. "I mean it’s just so cool. I know this building was packed for the men’s and women’s Olympic finals and to be packed for us, I think, shows the parity of sled hockey compared to stand up ice hockey.

“And I think we had some really passionate fans. I didn’t realize so much of Italy was Canadian! And there was definitely some chants, but I’m glad we could kind of silence them a little bit ... it was such a great atmosphere to play in.”

MILAN (AP) — The United States is looking to do something no nation has ever done: Clean sweep the ice hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics.

Standing in the way? Canada again.

Just like in the men’s and women’s tournaments at the Olympics, Sunday’s gold medal match in Para ice hockey will be between the U.S. and Canada.

“We got to do our part, right? So they got the two done, so now it’s our job and we just got to bring it home for them,” U.S. forward Kevin McKee told The Associated Press.

Naturally, Canada wants bragging rights in the rivalry and to break American Para hearts.

“It is a source of pride for us just to win, like we believe Canada is THE hockey country and we want to prove that,” Canada forward Adam Dixon said.

Both teams dominated the group stage at the Paralympics, each winning all three of their matches. The U.S. then beat the Czech Republic 6-1 in Friday’s semifinals, when Canada struggled at times before overcoming China 4-2.

Canada Para ice hockey captain Tyler McGregor said the two Olympic losses were not playing on his teammates’ minds.

“No. You know what, we’re going to write our own story,” he said. “We watched both our men’s and women’s team compete here a few weeks ago and they played phenomenal.

“Those were two of the best hockey games I’ve ever seen, but this is our story at the Paralympics and we have a chance to bring home a gold medal for Canada. And what an honor that would be.”

Rather than avenge the Olympic defeats, Canada is driven more to avenge losses to the U.S. in the past two gold-medal matches at the Paralympics. It has also lost to the U.S. in four of the past five world championship finals.

“That kind of fuels us,” forward Liam Hickey said. "We’ve learned from those. They’re a great team and we’ve had a great rivalry for as long as this sport’s been around. So for us it’s another kind of chance for redemption and we’re excited for it.”

US domination

If the U.S. achieves the treble, it would be the second straight year it has swept the major tournaments, having won the men’s and women’s world championships and world Para ice hockey championship in 2025.

There is no women’s division at the Paralympics as its classified as an open-gender sport.

U.S. defender Jack Wallace said the group has been talking about the sweep since watching the women’s Olympic final together during a training camp. They were also messaging each other during the men’s final.

Coach David Hoff would prefer his players bury all thoughts of a sweep before Sunday’s final.

“There’s a lot of talk about it,” Hoff admitted. “I think for us it’s really just putting the blinders on and really focusing on what we have to do. Don’t let that outside stuff cloud your preparation or bother you. Sometimes that’s hard to do but I think our guys have really done a good job.”

While the Olympics saw the U.S. men’s team win gold for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, it’s a different story at the Paralympics.

The U.S. has triumphed at five of the past six Paralympics and several players are targeting a fourth straight gold medal. Captain Josh Pauls is incredibly aiming for a fifth.

“You’ve got to enjoy the guys you’re playing with,” Pauls said when asked about the team’s secret to success. “We have such a brotherhood, we just enjoy playing the game, we enjoy competing, we enjoy getting better, but also helping the other guy across from us get better.

“And I mean, I am just so glad to play another team other than our guys, because man, our guys are really tough to play.”

It was one of those days for Para snowboarding veteran Cécile Hernandez — one of those Friday the 13th kind of days.

The 51-year-old Frenchwoman was among the favorites to win the banked slalom race at the Milan Cortina Paralympics on Friday but when she missed the podium by finishing fourth it was the last straw.

“It has been a (expletive) day since the start," Hernandez said. “I lost my mouthguard, I spilled my coffee, we got the wrong board this morning because we forgot the board. It was just a succession of crazy things and I even wonder how I managed to finish third after the first run.”

She appeared to be crying while she passed through the media area and gestured as if not understanding what happened during her run. A member of the French team patted her on the back to console her.

“I am someone who believes a lot in the universe and everything. And I tried to change the frequency of the universe," Hernandez said. “I tried, but no. It’s Friday the 13th."

A couple of days ago, Hernandez was crying at the top of the podium after winning her second Paralympic gold medal and celebrating it with her 18-year-old daughter who is also in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Victoire-Eléonore wept profusely during that ceremony, and she was crying again this time.

“Emotionally, I am done. I just saw my daughter crying, that’s all I didn’t want," Hernandez said. “I wanted to have her cry with joy and not like this. But she told me, ‘I am proud.’ I wanted to make another podium.”

Hernandez, whose disability stems from multiple sclerosis, was chosen as France's flag bearer in the Paralympic opening ceremony. She also won gold in Para snowboard cross at the 2022 Beijing Games. In the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, she won a silver in Para snowboard banked slalom and a bronze in snowboard cross. She also won a silver in snowboard cross at the 2014 Sochi Paralympics.

Team USA is in second place on the medals table at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympic Games, which end on Sunday.

American athletes have scooped 15 medals in total, six of them gold.

China, widely expected to dominate the Games, predictably tops the table, currently with 27 medals, including 10 golds.

Russia, whose athletes are competing under their own flag for the first time since Sochi 2014, is in fourth place with four golds.

At this month's Milan Cortina Paralympics, some athletes competed in shorts, T-shirts and tank tops. One skier lamented “tropical” conditions and a snowboarder complained that soft, slow snow put him at a disadvantage. And some worried about their safety.

“I’m here to represent the disability community on a snowboard, and I want to give the best show that I can,” three-time Paralympic gold medalist Brenna Huckaby of the U.S. said. “But I’m not going to kill myself in the process ... I've got two kids at home, and I'm already disabled. I'm not trying to disable myself more."

The warm weather at the Paralympics that run through Sunday has some athletes asking: Should these Games be held earlier in the year when cold weather is more reliable?

“If it were my decision, I would absolutely move the Olympics and Paralympics,” American Para snowboarder Zach Miller said.

Miller got into the sport because he saw the U.S. team sweep the debut of men’s Para snowboard cross at the 2014 Sochi Paralympics. At these Games, he wants to show kids how they can compete in sports and do cool things.

“And then it’s way less cool, because I’m dealing with, like, really terrible conditions and racing on a course that doesn’t actually show what the sport is,” he said. “It’s frustrating.”

Miller finished sixth in the snowboard cross finals, and said lighter riders like him can be at a disadvantage in maintaining momentum in softer snow.

German Para biathlete Marco Maier pushed through mushy snow wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt so he wouldn't overheat.

“We have the Summer Games now,” cracked Maier, who stayed cool enough to capture a bronze medal in last weekend's sprint race. “It is a challenge.”

Temperatures rising at Paralympics

The early March warmth would be “almost impossible” without the influence of climate change, said Shel Winkley, a Climate Central meteorologist.

Researchers say the places that can reliably host a Winter Games will shrink because of climate change. The Paralympics are typically held two weeks after the Winter Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has said it's considering rotating the Games among a permanent pool of suitable locations and holding them earlier because March is getting too warm for the Paralympics.

The International Paralympic Committee is working with the IOC to consider the dates. Moving them isn't easy because of other major winter sporting competitions, but it may be necessary to ensure the best conditions, said Craig Spence, the IPC's chief brand and communications officer.

Spence dismissed complaints about conditions this year, saying courses had been excellent. But he acknowledged a future problem.

“Clearly climate change is not going to go away. We’re very conscious of its impact on not just winter sports, but also summer sports,” he told the AP Wednesday. “We’ve seen temperatures rising at Paralympic Winter Games for the last few editions now.”

Warming conditions as a safety issue

Changing weather conditions challenge all athletes. But medical professionals say they can be even tougher for Para athletes.

Dr. Jaap Stomphorst, a sports physician at the Isala hospital in the Netherlands, said poor snow quality has a “big influence” on the rate of injuries and accidents among Paralympians. For example, sit-ski racers need very good snow to come down the course safely because they can’t adjust for ruts by moving their weight off the ski, and bumps can be particularly problematic for visually impaired skiers, he said. Stomphorst studied injuries at past Paralympic Games.

Dr. Sarah Eby, head team physician for the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team, noted that athletes without a disability have “two knees, they've got all their muscles working right when they need them to work ... Thinking of our Para athletes, maybe they have only one leg, they're relying more on equipment that they can't adjust.”

Miller, the snowboarder, said warming conditions lead athletes to try to “minimize mistakes and ride conservative, because everything you're going to do is going to be punished out there on the snow.” He added: “You're worried about your own safety on course, you don't feel like you can be the athlete that you know you are."

Warmth forces cancelled training and schedule changes

Organizers canceled practice sessions for skiing and snowboarding to preserve the course for both performance and safety. Some race starts were moved earlier or rescheduled to another day to minimize weather's effects, including forecast rain this Saturday.

The organizing committee said it works to ensure excellent, consistent snow conditions by using advanced snowmaking systems to complement natural snowfall, monitoring the weather and temperatures, and planning for a range of weather scenarios. The committee also said competition schedules are reviewed regularly to ensure safety and fair competition.

Austrian Markus Salcher blamed himself for a fall in the super-G race, but said the softer snow also played a role. American Patrick Halgren, who won silver in the standing division, called conditions “tropical.” He said the skiing felt like surfing.

Paralympians say they are ‘making it work’

Some athletes praised organizers for keeping the courses in decent shape despite the warmth. That included American Para Alpine skier Andrew Haraghey, who couldn’t finish his super-G standing race on a course he said was far from perfect.

“We’re making it work, but it’s not ideal,” Haraghey said. “I think it’s as safe as it’s going to be. I think it’s more so that people are pushing the limits.”

Canadian Para snowboarder Sandrine Hamel said that women's events are held first in the cooler morning conditions, and it's warmer when the men compete later.

“I get the best and it’s already hot, warm, slower and bumpier,” she said. “So they get even worse than that.”

Canadian Para snowboarder Tyler Turner tries to keep the fluctuating conditions in stride.

“We’re a bunch of amputees and injured people up there. We can adapt on the fly. We’re good at this," Turner said. "For me, I’ve just got to ride and keep my eyes open and stay aware of what’s happening out there on the track."

Local organizers of the Milan Cortina Paralympics defended their actions after Ukraine’s Paralympic committee accused them and the International Paralympic Committee of subjecting Ukraine athletes and coaches to “systematic pressure.”

The Milan Cortina organizing committee said on Thursday it reviewed the issues raised by Ukraine and explained its decisions.

Ukraine said on Wednesday it was disrespected for having to remove a Ukrainian flag allegedly forcefully, for having to break up planning meetings, and for one of its athletes being prohibited from wearing an earring with the words “Stop War” in a podium ceremony.

The local committee said it asked the Ukrainians to remove a national flag from a “communal space” because village regulations say national flags may be displayed “only in the residential areas they occupy.”

The committee said Ukraine is able to book “dedicated rooms within the village to host meetings,” saying it “works closely with all teams to accommodate meetings of different sizes.”

Craig Spence, the IPC chief brand and communications officer, on Wednesday cited Games' regulations as the reason for stopping the Ukrainian athlete from wearing the “Stop War” earring on the podium.

Organizers added that at the Para cross-country venue five fans tried to enter wearing scarves in the colors of the Ukrainian flag and with text on them.

“As venue security could not verify the meaning of the text, and it may have contained political messaging, which is not permitted under Games regulations, the spectators were asked to enter the venue without the scarves,” the local organizing committee said. “The items were returned to them when they exited the venue.

“(Organizers and the IPC) remain committed to providing a respectful and welcoming environment for all stakeholders, including athletes and spectators. The rules and procedures in place during the Games are designed to support that environment and are applied equally to all delegations.”

Ukraine was one of several countries that boycotted the opening ceremony because the IPC allowed Russian athletes wild card entries and to compete under their own flag for the first time in more than a decade at the Paralympics.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is looking into a protest by German cross-country skiers during the medal ceremony for the women's sprint classic vision-impaired event won by Russia's Anastasiia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin.

Germany's silver medallists, Linn Kazmaier and Florian Baumann, turned their backs on the Russians and kept their winter hats on during the ceremony on Tuesday.

Russia and neighbour Belarus, both banned from Paralympic competitions after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, were readmitted by the IPC last September.

The Russian team had previously been suspended from the Paralympics because of a doping scandal and last competed under their own flag when they hosted the Games at Sochi in 2014.

"With Germany, we are aware of the situation, gathering evidence and analysing it," Craig Spence, the IPC's chief brand and communications officer, said on Wednesday.

Russia have won six medals at the Milano Cortina Paralympics, including four golds.

"The medal ceremony felt completely strange," Kazmaier told German public broadcasting network ARD.

"I don't know these people: maybe they don't support the system in Russia either. Maybe they are really nice people who we could actually be friends with. But it's such a shame that politics overshadows everything.

"So we decided to keep our hats on and not turn towards the flags, because we don't support that."

Baumann was also outspoken when speaking to German public service broadcaster ZDF.

"Four years ago in Beijing, we had a great exchange with the Ukrainians. We wanted to show solidarity with them," Baumann said.

"This is not about the Russian athletes. It is also difficult for many of them right now, but I simply do not think it is right that the IPC has decided that Russia can compete here under its own flag, with its own anthem and with a full band, while the Ukrainians are also here."

Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee (NPC) accused the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Milano Cortina 2026 organisers of putting "systematic pressure" on its delegation, citing curbs on flags, team briefings and athlete accessories.

In a statement, Ukraine said its athletes, coaches and officials had faced "openly negative" treatment, unprecedented in the country’s three decades of participation in the Summer and Winter Paralympics.

Ukraine boycotted the opening ceremony in Verona on March 6 to protest against the return of 10 Russian and Belarus athletes to the Games with their flags and national anthems.

Among the incidents cited, Ukraine said it had been ordered to remove a national flag from its residence in the Paralympic village, a practice it said had not drawn objections at previous Games.

According to the Ukrainians, organisers took more than two days to determine where the flag could be displayed and ultimately instructed that it be placed in a less visible location.

Local Games organisers said in a statement that the Ukrainian NPC chose to hang a national flag outside a communal space and was asked to move it "in line with Village regulations, which provide that NPCs may display national flags only in the residential areas they occupy".

At a press briefing in Cortina d’Ampezzo, IPC Chief Brand and Communications Officer Craig Spence said he was surprised by the allegations, noting Ukraine had not raised any concerns through official channels but instead via the media.

"While we are empathetic to the situation of the Ukrainian people, this empathy does not extend to allowing NPC Ukraine to break the rules that govern these Games," he added.

Ukraine also cited an incident in which biathlon champion Oleksandra Kononova was told to remove earrings featuring a small Ukrainian flag and the words “Stop War” ahead of her medal ceremony on March 7 in Val di Fiemme. IPC rules prohibit demonstrations, protests, or political statements in Paralympic venues.

During the Olympics last month, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified for wearing a custom helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's invasion, which began four years ago.

Ukraine's NPC said it was "especially shocked" by an alleged incident involving the family of biathlon gold medallist Taras Rad.

According to its statement, eight relatives who travelled from western Ukraine were prevented from entering the stands with Ukrainian flags, and had traditional neck scarves confiscated.

The local organising committee said that the issue centred on the text that was included on the scarves.

"As venue security could not verify the meaning of the text, and it may have contained political messaging, which is not permitted under Games regulations, the spectators were asked to enter the venue without the scarves," organisers said.

"Milano Cortina 2026 and the International Paralympic Committee remain committed to providing a respectful and welcoming environment for all stakeholders, including athletes and spectators. The rules and procedures in place during the Games are designed to support that environment and are applied equally to all delegations."

Ukraine have won 10 medals so far, including three golds.

Iranian cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi had to withdraw from the Winter Paralympics because he couldn’t travel safely to Italy due to the Iran war.

“The recent events have been very painful for many people, and it is especially heartbreaking for athletes who have dedicated years of hard work and preparation to represent their country,” Hamid Alisamimi, the chief executive of Iran’s National Paralympic Committee, said in a statement to The Associated Press.

“Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, like many others, has faced deep disappointment at being unable to participate in the Paralympics after such long and determined preparation. At the same time, he believes that sport should always remain a bridge between nations and a symbol of peace."

Almost halfway through the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics, the United States is sitting in sixth position in the medals table.

The U.S. has so far won one gold (courtesy of Oksana Masters) four silvers (Kendall Gretsch, Noah Elliot, Kate Delson, Patrick Halgren) and two bronze medals (Andrew Kurka, Gretsch).

China, which had been widely predicted to dominate the Games, tops the table with 17 medals. Ukraine is in second place with 10, three of them gold.

Ukraine’s Maksym Murashkovskyi credited artificial intelligence for helping him win a silver medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics, calling ChatGPT a “revolutionary technology” after finishing runner‑up in Sunday’s biathlon event.

Murashkovskyi, a 2023 world championships bronze medallist, was edged out by China’s Dang Hesong and narrowly missed the gold.

“For the past six months, I have been training with ChatGPT,” Murashkovskyi, 25, told reporters. “It was not only tactics. It was half of my training plan, motivation, et cetera. So it was a huge volume of all of my training. I used it as a psychologist, coach and, sometimes, as a doctor.”

He added that AI could eventually replace some of the work provided by human coaches. “Not completely for five to 10 years. But part of it, definitely,” he said. “I believe in it, it is a revolutionary technology.”

Ukraine have won 10 medals at this year’s Paralympics so far.

Russia claimed its first gold medal on Monday following a disputed return to the Paralympics when skier Varvara Voronchikhina won the women's Super-G standing race.

Russia and neighbour Belarus, both banned from Paralympic competitions after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, were readmitted by the International Paralympic Committee in September following a vote by the body's general assembly.

The decision has caused outrage in Ukraine and a number of countries boycotted the athletes' parade at the opening ceremony in Verona on Friday in protest.

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev offered his congratulations to Voronchikhina.

"Well done! The Russian national anthem is playing," he wrote on Telegram in a message featuring emojis of the Russian coat of arms and flag.

A video posted on Telegram showed Voronchikhina saying "Mum, I did it!" to the camera, before bursting into tears. Voronchikhina, 23, had taken bronze in the women's downhill standing event on Saturday, while her compatriot Aleksei Bugaev finished third in the men's race.