Milano Cortina 2026 top moments: Canada
Canada once again delivered a strong campaign, winning a medal in all six sports on the Milano Cortina 2026 programme 15 Apr 2026
The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games featured 79 medal events across six sports – Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
Canadian athletes won at least one medal in all six sports on the Milano Cortina 2026 programme in another strong Paralympic campaign. Canada finished with three gold, four silver and eight bronze medals.
Here are Canada’s top moments from the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
Canada win wheelchair curling mixed team gold in dramatic fashion
Canada kept their tradition of finishing on the wheelchair curling podium at every Games since the sport’s inclusion at Torino 2006. The team, skipped by Mark Ideson, won their first gold medal in the mixed team tournament since Sochi 2014 in dramatic fashion.
Tied 3–3 in the eighth and final end, Ideson found his range to place his Canadian rock apparently the same distance from the button as the Chinese rock. It was impossible to tell with the naked eye which was closer, and a measurement would have been required to determine the winner.
When Chinese skip Haitao Wang failed to get his next rock any closer to the button, it was up to the Canadians. But time was running out before they had to shoot. Despite the pressure of the moment, Ideson channeled inner calm and eventually delivered a well-placed shot, tapping his team’s rock closer to the button to score the winning point and give Canada the 4–3 victory.
Ideson said he was “incredibly proud” that the team won all of their matches at Milano Cortina 2026.
“When you come into an event like this, it's a marathon and you never know how it's going to go. We didn't ever expect to get through undefeated,” he said.
“We just wanted to make the playoffs first and put ourselves in a good situation to get back on the podium. We managed to do that.”
Natalie Wilkie’s Para biathlon breakthrough
At the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, Natalie Wilkie won two gold medals and a silver in Para biathlon, along with a bronze medal in Para cross-country skiing, in an impressive campaign.
Previously a Para cross-country skiing specialist, Wilkie competed in Para biathlon at Beijing 2022 for the first time at a Games but finished outside of the podium.
“Little Natalie would be so amazed to see me at the Paralympics today, winning the gold medal in an event that I never thought I would," said Wilkie, who was competing at her third Paralympics.
On top of her exceptional medal haul, Wilkie delighted crowds with her face glitter and joyous celebrations that lit up the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium. Her glitter seemingly foretold her medal wins, with the colour changes drawing attention.
Kalle Ericsson’s incredible Paralympic debut
Para alpine skier Kalle Ericsson had an incredible Paralympic debut, winning three medals in the men’s vision impaired category. Competing with guide Sierra Smith, Ericsson earned a silver medal in the downhill and bronze medals in the super-G and slalom.
Asked what it feels like to wear a medal around his neck, Ericsson said, “The better feeling for me is looking up at the flagpoles and seeing the Canadian flag up there. That really makes me happy and puts a massive smile on my face.”
Smith said, “We come into these Games with hopes and dreams. To be actually on the podium in our first two races, that's what dreams are made of.”
