Barlaam reflects on Paris 2024 glory, aims to spark buzz for Milano Cortina 2026

Simone Barlaam became one of the faces of Paris 2024, but eight months on, he is only just coming to terms with what he achieved and the Games’ impact on the Paralympic Movement overall.

The Italian Para swimming star won three gold medals and a silver at La Defense Arena last summer, and set a world record in the men’s 50m freestyle S9.

“The more time passes, the more Paris becomes big and important,” he said in April 2025 from Indianapolis, where he competed in the fifth event of the Para Swimming World Series 2025.

“I’ve just seen a video of my races from Paris a few weeks ago, it is surreal to see how big the Paralympic Games were. On the day you can’t focus on everything like the surroundings and many people are watching so you start to get anxious and overthink.

“You can’t fully enjoy the greatness of what you’re doing. Now there has been some time you can realise what you did was amazing; the atmosphere there was incredible.” 

Reliving Paris 2024

Paris was also the first time Barlaam performed at a Paralympic Games in front of a crowd after making his debut at Tokyo 2020, which was held following a one-year postponement because of COVID.

He says the growth of the Games reached new heights in Paris and it has also helped change perceptions of disability in both sport and wider society.

“In my eight-year career with the Italian national team there has been more attention," the 24-year-old swimmer said. “Paralympic athletes are becoming more recognised; there are more people with disabilities getting into sports. By doing this they are doing the most important thing, the main goal of Para sport, to give people [opportunities]. It gives people dignity.

“It is growing a lot, but we need to keep going for the rights of people with disabilities all over the world. There are different battles being fought in different countries by disabled people.”

Drawing a brighter future

In Italy, attention is swiftly turning to 2026, and the Paralympic Winter Games. The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place between 6-15 March, with up to 665 athletes set to perform in six sports.

Barlaam, who is from Milan, is excited to watch the Games as a fan, but he is also helping promote it as an ambassador.

“It is incredible. I’m sad I don’t get to compete! Feeling the love for the French athletes from the people in Paris was incredible, and it would be great to do a home Games,” he laughs. “Jokes aside, it is a great chance for Italy to showcase what it is capable of, to show the best talents in winter sports in our country. I hope and think they’re going to be great Games.”

Barlaam has utilised his skills as an artist to great effect in order to help promote the Paralympic Winter Games. It is a talent he developed during his days in hospital as a child when needing to stay calm.

Drawing has helped get him involved in the preparations for Italy’s first Paralympics since Torino 2006.

“When I was 10, I was in hospital. I used to play a lot with the Nintendo DS,” he remembers. “My heart rate used to get too high; the nurses were concerned so they removed the console from me and I needed to find a calmer hobby, so I got the love for drawing. I always drew something before.”

With the Games approaching, he was invited by the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee to create comics that show how fans can get involved in the Games.

“They really liked it, and it was a huge success; then I became an ambassador for the Paralympic Winter Games, I get involved in my more activities,” he said. “I can live and enjoy the Games more not being athlete.”

The buzz of Milano Cortina 2026

Next year he hopes to see some of the positive energy, which has taken Paralympic sport to new heights in Paris, carry over into the Winter Games.

Barlaam made waves with his own achievements at Paris 2024, and now he is doing all he can to create a buzz before Milano Cortina 2026, which promises to be every bit as spectacular. He already sees the excitement building in the host country and expects a huge legacy after the Games.

Barlaam is especially looking forward to the Para ice hockey competition in Milan. The Italian Para ice hockey team is preparing to compete in front of a home crowd after finishing fifth at Beijing 2022.

"The ice hockey in Milan is going to be awesome. I’m really looking forward to that; there are a lot of events and people are getting more excited. We are trying to keep some of the excitement from Paris going into the Winter Games,” he said, adding that he hopes the Games can help “raise the number of people interested in these sports.”

One challenge has been maintaining momentum between each Games, Barlaam says. The four-time Paralympic gold medallist adds that the increased spotlight enhances the sense of occasion, and that there are many ways each athlete can contribute.

“That big attention makes the Paralympic Games more special. Every single one of us needs to keep the hype around what we’re doing,” he said. "We need to make the sport more spectacular and appealing to the general public.” 

Italian Paralympians are in the house at the @milanocortina26 1 Year to Go press conference!

Left to Right:
Alessandro Andreoni, Para ice hockey
Simone Barlaam, Para swimming
Martina Caironi, Para athletics
Gabriele Lanza, Para ice hockey
Andrea Macri, Para ice hockey pic.twitter.com/xYOGjGXxmW

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) March 5, 2025

Never too early to dream

Barlaam has already returned to the pool this year, competing in Para Swimming World Series events in Italy, Spain and the USA. With the World Para Swimming Championships taking place in Singapore in September, he anticipates another busy but successful summer.

“I’m really excited for this Para swimming season. We are finally going to Asia and Singapore is one of my favourite places,” Barlaam said. “I’ve been there for my 17th birthday on my way to Australia and loved it.”

And after Milano Cortina 2026, he knows it will be his turn to take the spotlight at the Paralympics again, this time at LA28. The LA28 Paralympics will take place in the USA from 15-27 August 2028.

“What can I say about LA28?” he said. “The Americans usually go big, and they mean business. I’m really curious about what they will do in terms of the organisation of the Paralympic Games. I’m quite sure they will be spectacular.” 

“It’s still a long way, obviously, but it’s never too early to dream.”