U.S. Achieves Second Place in 2026 Winter Paralympics Medal Count with Historic Performances

The United States secured second position in the overall medal standings at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan Cortina, concluding on March 16. American athletes earned 24 total medals, including 13 gold, marking their strongest gold medal performance in two decades. The U.S. sled hockey team achieved a historic fifth consecutive gold medal, defeating Canada 6-2 in the final. Key athletes included Declan Farmer, who became the all-time leading scorer in Paralympic sled hockey, and Oksana Masters, who added four golds and a bronze to become the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian with 24 career medals. Other notable performances came from Jake Adicoff, who won four golds in visually impaired cross-country skiing, and snowboarder Brenna Huckaby, who became the most decorated Paralympic snowboarder. The Games featured a record 611 participants from 55 nations across six sports. International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons praised the event as the largest Winter Paralympics ever. China led the medal count with 44 total medals, while Russia placed third. The closing ceremony in Cortina d'Ampezzo included flag bearers Kendall Gretsch and Andrew Kurka, with the Paralympic flame extinguished to conclude the 50th anniversary Winter Games.