Para athletes and sport leaders celebrate International Women’s Day

On the morning of International Women’s Day, German Para biathlete Anja Wicker took silver behind Paralympic debutant Yunji Kim at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. 

As a Paralympic veteran who competed for the first time in Sochi 2014, Wicker celebrated the new rising star, who won her first Paralympic gold, and the growing women’s talent in the sport. 

“I think it’s incredible the supportive field we have. I’m super happy for Kim, she’s super happy for me. I think women supporting women is the most important thing,” Wicker said after the women’s individual sitting event on 8 March. 

“Through the years I’ve seen more young women starting to compete and the field is getting bigger and bigger, and younger and younger, and that’s the goal.” 

For 19-year-old Kim, competing with many of the female icons she has looked up to over the years made today even more special.

“I can’t believe that I got the gold medal. I haven’t realised it yet, I feel like I am dreaming right now,” the Korean athlete said. “I’m just happy to be competing with all the many top-level worldwide stars.”   

Growing participation

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics, which opened on 6 March, features a record number of female athletes. A total of 160 athletes are competing across six sports, marking an 18 per cent increase in participation over the previous record high of 136 women set at Beijing 2022. 

Six NPCs (Australia (5), Belarus (3), Croatia (2), Korea (6), Latvia (4) and Brazil (3)) have a record number of women Para athletes competing at these Games, showing the growth of female participation around the world.

In Para ice hockey, Japan’s Akari Fukunishi became the fourth female athlete to compete in the mixed-gender sport at the Paralympics. Ever since competing in last year’s inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Championships, Fukunishi says she has received enquiries from female athletes who are interested in taking up the sport in Japan.

“It’s great to be here to compete, but a pity I’m the only woman,” Fukunishi said in a Press Conference on International Women’s Day. She added, “(I expect in the future) more and more Japanese women wanting to get into the ice hockey game.”

“I hope to come back as a member of the women’s team for Japan,” Fukunishi added.

From grassroots to the biggest stage

Dani Aravich, USA Para biathlete and Para cross-country skier, says increasing participation starts with grassroots sports, especially for winter events.  

“When you look at the winter sports numbers, women still have a much smaller margin. And I think the hope for all of us is that our fields continue to get deeper and bigger. We need more women to see potential for themselves in winter sport. 

“I know a big hope for a lot of us is women's Para ice hockey (is) added to the Paralympic Games. And you know, that's obviously a topic of participation numbers. We need to continue to try to set up from a grassroots level (opportunities) for women to get involved in winter sport.”

For fellow Para biathlete and cross-country skier Aline dos Santos Rocha, the rise of women in Brazil’s winter Para sport is something she’s proud of seeing and she hopes to be a role model. 

“I was one of the first women in Brazil to do this sport and compete here (at the Winter Games). Now there are three of us (women competing). I want to be a pioneer for women in sport, I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved,” she said.

“The movement is growing and there’s more and more women joining in.”

It helps that the Milano Cortina 2026 Games are being broadcast to more countries than ever before (126) with a potential record global audience. 

Aravich, who is making her third Paralympic appearance, said “I want numbers in our races, I want it to be competitive. I want it when people see it on TV, to not just see 20 starters, to see 60 starters.” 

“And so hopefully, by showing more Para sport in media and broadcast we have more young women with disabilities or those who acquire their disabilities who can then see and find their way to winter sport.”  

Female leaders

At a leadership level for sport, there’s also a concerted effort to get more women into coaching, committee roles and in other top positions.  

 Karen O’Neill, Canadian Paralympic Committee CEO has had a brilliant career and acts as an advocate for women building careers in Paralympic sport. O’Neill has had a wide range of sport leadership roles in Canada and knows better than most what it’s like to be a woman in sport leadership. 

 “Often being a woman in sport you’re not always the most popular in the room. And if you’re at the table it’s important you have a voice, and that we become clearer on naming who’s at the table, who’s not,” she said.

 In her case, she’s also had the support of female role models who have been inspirational throughout her career, including Judy Kent, the first female chef de mission of the Commonwealth Games.  Now she is trying to help others throughout the Americas working with the America’s Paralympic Committee. 

 In the work they have done, the biggest obstacles they have identified for greater inclusion of women in top positions are cultural barriers and leadership stereotypes. 

 For O’Neill, getting more women into sport leadership will be a gamechanger to “shapeshift the environment”, and to allow a trickle-down effect of improved inclusion at all levels.   

It takes a village

The growth of women in the Winter Paralympics couldn’t happen without some unsung heroes and on International Women’s Day – a couple of athletes wanted to recognise two important members of their entourage. 

Para snowboard wife and husband Lisa Bunschoten and Chris Vos are giving a shout out to the grannies, who are on babysitting duties, taking care of toddler daughter Jane while they both race.

"We're really lucky with our grandmas who travel with us to our races to care for Jane so that we can compete and train,” Vos told reporters. "Most of the time, we're both on snow, so that's why the grandmas are there to help out.”

Where to watch and listen to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games

Secure your tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games  

Milano Cortina 2026, which takes place from 6-15 March 2026, is set to be the most beautiful Paralympic Winter Games yet. Ticket prices start at EUR 10 for children under 14, with approximately 89 per cent of the tickets available for EUR 35 or less.

For more information, please visit tickets.milanocortina2026.org