Quick Facts:

• Oksana Masters is now the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian of all time with 16 Winter Paralympic medals (24 total across Summer/Winter, 13 gold); won 4 medals in Milano Cortina despite off-season surgery, bone infection, and concussion
• Milano Cortina was the most widely broadcast Paralympic Games in history and most-viewed Winter Games since Salt Lake 2002 – Paralympic YouTube channel generated 275M+ video views (more than entire Paris 2024 Summer Games)
• 24% of Paralympic fans made a purchase because of Paralympic sponsorships, proving that elevating para sport and para athletes isn't charity, it's smart business with measurable ROI

Mar 8, 2026; Cortina, Italy; Oksana Masters USA competes in the Para Biathlon Women's Individual Sitting during the Italy 2026 Paralympic Winter Games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium. Credit: OIS/Joel Marklund via Imagn Images

The Paralympics always show out, and Milano-Cortina was no different. We got joy and excellence, comebacks and cutthroat competition. We got record breaking performances and record breaking coverage, new friends, curl friends and everything in between. Whether you followed along closely like we did or are catching up on the highlights, we’ve got you. Here are our top 5 moments from this year’s Paralympic Games:

1. Oksana Masters is Golden

While Parity athlete Elana Meyers Taylor was the Queen of the Winter Olympics, Oksana Masters said save a crown for me. Oksana is now the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian of all time, with 16 Winter Paralympics medals. Her total medal count (across Summer and Winter) is at 24 medals, 13 of them gold. Milano-Cortina was her 8th Paralympic Games. It’s hard to put into words how dominant she has been, but that’s okay, because the medals do the talking. In Milano-Cortina Oksana won 3 golds and one bronze in Para Cross Country Skiing: gold in the 10km, the 1km sprint and as a member of Team USA’s 4 x 2.5km mixed relay team, and bronze in the 20km. She also took home gold in the Para Biathlon 7.5km (sitting). All of her races were incredible to watch, but two of our favorites were her Biathlon win, and the Team Relay come from behind victory!

What is more, she did all of this coming into the Games off an off-season surgery, a bone infection and a concussion. She reminded all of us that it’s easy to chase big goals when everything is going your way, but it’s when the deck is stacked against you that the wins feel even sweeter.

2. The Aigner Family is Unrivaled

The Aigners aren’t like any other family. First of all, they all sing. Secondly, 4 out of the 5 Aigner children are Paralympic medallists in alpine skiing. This year, Veronika and brother Johannes won 9 out of Austria’s 13 Paralympic medals. (If you missed the visually impaired alpine skiing, catch up on some highlights here.) Watching them with their guides really felt like watching magic.

As a person with extensive guiding experience, it was so cool for me to watch this sport in the Paralympics, but also like how?? Athletes like Veronika make it look easy, but the amount of trust, coordination, strength and training that goes into an event like this is honestly just mind-blowing. Veronika’s guide is usually her older sister Elisabeth, but she sustained an injury at a World Cup in February, so Veronika was guided by Lilly Sammer for her first 3 races and the last two by Eric Digruber. Is it too early to call this family dynastic? We’re going to do it anyway.

3. Akari Fukunishi is Breaking Barriers

Did you know that sled hockey is a mixed gender sport? Sled hockey has been a part of the Paralympics since 1994, and has been a mixed gender event since 2010. However, only 4 women have ever competed, with only one woman taking the ice in Milano-Cortina: Akari Fukunishi of Japan!

A former ice hockey player who sustained a lower limb disability in a motorcycle accident, Akari saw a way back to the rink through sled hockey. She competed as part of Team World at last year’s first ever women’s sled hockey World Championships, a team made up of athletes from countries without programs… yet! Akari stood out with her dynamic play and high hockey IQ, and made Japan’s team for the 2026 Paralympics. While Akari uses her quick thinking and skills to compete with men, she still dreams of the day when she’ll lead a women’s team to the Paralympics! In the meantime, we will just have to fangirl over trailblazers like her.

Source: Olympics

4. Kate Delson is That Girl 

We profiled Kate in our Paralympic Preview and we told you she was one to watch. Despite this being only her first Paralympic Games and being the youngest member of Team USA snowboard, Kate is coming home with some serious hardware. Kate won gold in the Women’s Banked Slalom and silver in the Women’s Snowboard Cross, and got to share her wins with her family, who she says have always shown up for and believed in her.

One of the coolest things about anyone winning a Paralympic medal is it means we get to know them better! I loved watching this video where Kate shared her experience about living (and training and competing and winning) with a muscular impairment. It was my favorite. Well, perhaps only second to this interview, where Kate tells us about… well, you just have to watch it. Let’s just say, shit happens. Even to Paralympic champions.

Source: NBC San Diego

5. Brenna Huckaby is Power

Parity athlete, cancer survivor and all around badass Brenna Huckaby is now a 5-time Paralympic medallist, and the most decorated para snowboarder of all time. Something that Brenna speaks on often is the difficulties she and other above the knee amputees face in competition. Whereas in alpine skiing there is a time factor to compensate for varying levels of disability, in snowboarding, athletes are forced to race in inappropriate fields if there aren’t enough athletes to fill a distinct field. Despite being at a huge disadvantage, Brenna put together two perfect runs in the banked slalom to earn a bronze finish. She always fights for Paralympic prestige, and for inclusion and representation for above the knee amputees like her, and she continued to do it while competing! I will never tire of watching Brenna Huckaby highlights or interviews. She just has so much wisdom to share about her journey, family and what’s really important.

P.S. The Paralympics are Cinema

The needle is moving on Paralympic coverage, continuing to prove that people will watch if you put it on! Milano-Cortina was the most widely broadcast Paralympic Games in history, and the most viewed Winter Games since Salt Lake in 2002. From March 4th to 12th, the Paralympic YouTube channel generated more than 275 million video views, more than the entirety of the summer Games in Paris, 2024.

But coverage doesn’t just happen. We want to specifically shout out Parity athletes Brenna Huckaby and Dani Aravich both for their individual coverage as well as their work on Culxtured throughout the Games. It’s athletes and initiatives like these that make such a huge difference. If you’re not following them, do it! Right now! And then go back and watch all of their hilarious/heartfelt/educational/inspirational Games content!! Also if you missed it go back and watch Parity athlete Emma Schieck’s story highlights for a special behind the scenes look. Paralympic athletes do the most to compete, celebrate one another and increase para sport visibility. If you’re not tuning in, partnering with para athletes and celebrating these stories, you’re seriously missing out.

We still have a long way to go on equal coverage and hype, but the numbers show that people want to watch the Paralympics and para sport in general. Our data also shows that 24% of Paralympic fans made a purchase because of Paralympic sponsorships. Elevating para sport and para athletes isn’t a feel-good charity project: it’s smart business. Contact us now to find out more about partnering with a para athlete!

About Parity, a Group 1001 Company

Parity is a women’s sports consultancy focused on professional women athlete partnerships. With a mission to close the gender income gap in sports and beyond, Parity connects brands with a diverse network of more than 1,400 women’s sports athletes across 85+ sports, including 300+ Olympians and Paralympians. Through sponsorship activations, content collaborations, and strategic advisory, Parity helps brands authentically engage the most trusted voices in sports today. For more information, visit www.paritynow.co, or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.