CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A record 612 athletes from 56 national or regional committees have qualified for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said at a media briefing here on Thursday.
"To celebrate the 50th anniversary since the first Paralympic Winter Games, I am delighted that Milan-Cortina 2026 will be the biggest Paralympic Winter Games yet with a record number of NOCs and para athletes competing," Parsons said.
China has sent 167 members, including 70 athletes, to compete in 71 events across six sports, marking its largest delegation and most extensive participation in an overseas Winter Paralympics.
"The IPC is working hard to develop Paralympic winter sports, and I'm thrilled that five new NOCs will make their Winter Games debut here in Milan-Cortina: El Salvador, Haiti, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Portugal," Parsons said.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics will open on March 6 and run through March 15, featuring 79 events across six sports. Para alpine skiing, para snowboard and wheelchair curling will take place in Cortina. Para biathlon and para cross-country skiing will be held in Val di Fiemme, and para ice hockey will be staged in Milan.
Wheelchair curling is the first event to begin at the Games, starting two days before the opening ceremony that will be held at the Verona Olympic Arena on Friday.
"I promise you world-class sport, sport that is highly competitive, sport that will surprise you and, most importantly, sport that will have a life-changing transformational impact on everyone who witnesses it," Parsons said.
He added, "The Games is about sport, but not only sport. We are collaborating with Milan-Cortina and ensuring this event continues to serve as a platform to drive social change for the world's 1.3 billion persons with disability." ■
