Milano Cortina 2026: Games create sense of belonging for Natalie Wilkie

Canada’s Natalie Wilkie is one of the stand-out stars so far at Milano Cortina, with three medals across Para biathlon and Para cross-country.  

In fact, it’s hard to miss her. 

Standing on the starting line before each of her races, the 25-year-old drew attention at the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium with her face glitter make-up seemingly foretelling the colour of the medal she would win in each race. 

Wilkie laughed at the excitement around it, saying: “I started the Games with silver (glitter), not expecting a certain result. And then I ended up winning the silver medal. So, it became a thing. The next day, I wore gold because... I wonder if I would win the gold medal. And I did.” 

For her third race, Para cross country standing sprint, Wilkie decided to keep everyone guessing and came away with the bronze medal. 

“I put on pink glitter, just because I love the color pink. It makes me happy. And the focus for me that day was to go and have fun and do my best.”  

A medal in each colour 

Already a seven-time Paralympic medallist coming into the Games, Wilkie’s Milano Cortina wins leave her with ten medals in total.  She also enjoys an unbroken streak of taking a medal of every colour home from each Games in which she’s competed.  

“To have a medal of each colour, and to win a medal in all three of my races so far at these Games is pretty special. I was saying to somebody yesterday that I could leave now and I'd be happy with what I've already accomplished." 

With three more races to go, Wilkie isn’t done yet. 

“Potentially I could double that,” she admits. Wilkie will compete in the Para biathlon sprint standing event, Para cross-country 20km interval start standing and the team relay, an event she is excited about. 

“I just love the energy of the whole team in the relay. I race faster and harder because I just don't want to disappoint my teammates. But, yeah, it's always such a great vibe. We're going to be putting face glitter or Canada flag tattoos on.” 

How the Games helped her accept her disability 

While Wilkie isn’t fazed by the attention her face glitter is getting at these Games, it demonstrates how far she has come in her Paralympic journey.   

She started her Paralympic career at Pyeongchang 2018 as the youngest athlete from Canada at just 17. Having acquired her disability as the result of an accident only a year and a half before the Games, Wilkie was new not only to Para sport but also to her disability. 

“It was still quite fresh (at Pyeongchang), and I was wearing a bandage on my hand at the time, not that I needed it. I was just trying to hide my hand because I didn't want to be seen as someone with a disability. When I got to the Games, I quickly realized that at the Paralympic village, everyone has a disability, and if you're trying to hide it, people notice right away,” she shared.  

“About halfway through the games, I started taking my bandage off, and I was super shy about it. It was scary at first, but I think that was a big turning point in me accepting my disability. Realising that everyone has their unique disability here. I didn't stick out anymore. I was just part of the crowd.” 

Finding a sense of belonging 

The Paralympic Games brings together Para athletes from all over the world, and Milano Cortina 2026 is making history on many fronts.  These winter Games have the most National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) and Para athletes competing, and the most widespread broadcast coverage ever. 

Wilkie is happy to see that and feels this coming together of athletes is like a community. 

“The most important part of the Games is meeting new athletes, chatting with them, swapping stories, learning more about their lives and their unique stories of how they got to the Games,” Wilkie said. 

“In my first Games, I hadn't really been exposed to a lot of Para sport. Coming to the village, I met so many cool, inspiring athletes. I found my community. I felt such a sense of belonging with all these other athletes who had also been born with disabilities or acquired disabilities.”

Connections that go beyond sport 

When asked her best moment of the Games so far, Wilkie didn’t draw on one of her personal victories but instead reflected on a moment shared with Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova. The Canadian and Ukrainian were on the podium together for the Para biathlon women’s individual standing, with Wilkie taking gold and Kononova bronze. 

“She doesn't speak a lot of English, so we were using a translator to communicate, and she shared a photo with me of her daughter who was on the podium in another sports competition on that same day. She was so proud of her daughter and proud of herself as well,” Wilkie told the IPC. 

“I just felt so happy for them. What a special moment: mother and daughter landing a podium on the same day, and on International Women's Day (March 8). That really touched my heart.” 

A message to her younger self 

Wilkie was a skier at the national level before she lost four fingers in an accident in a Grade 9 woodworking class. While it took her time to adjust to Para sport, now, she wants to encourage young people with a disability to give it a go. 

“If I'm envisioning little Natalie 10 years ago, I would tell her to just try the sport. When I first had my accident, I was very resistant to the idea of becoming a Para athlete, because I had spent so much of my life skiing with two poles. It was pretty hard for me to accept my new circumstances and the fact that I was now only able to ski with one pole.” 

“But then you see what you can do. I hope that we can continue to spread awareness and spread opportunities for everyone to at least give sport a try.” 

Wilkie competes next on March 13 in Para biathlon sprint pursuit standing, where she’ll undoubtedly be keeping the crowd guessing the colour of her face glitter. 

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