---
title: "Paralympians demonstrate excellence and grit on the winter stage"
description: "Athletes from around the world compete at the Winter Paralympic Games 2026, demonstrating remarkable resilience, strength and determination across snow and ice. From high-speed alpine skiing to intense wheelchair curling matches, the Games celebrate the spirit of perseverance as Paralympians push physical and mental boundaries in pursuit of sporting excellence."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "IN PICTURES"
author: "Daily Maverick Photo Team"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/photo-team/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-03-09-paralympians-demonstrate-excellence-and-grit-on-the-winter-stage/"
published: "2026-03-09T17:56:35"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 252
---

# Paralympians demonstrate excellence and grit on the winter stage

> Athletes from around the world compete at the Winter Paralympic Games 2026, demonstrating remarkable resilience, strength and determination across snow and ice. From high-speed alpine skiing to intense wheelchair curling matches, the Games celebrate the spirit of perseverance as Paralympians push physical and mental boundaries in pursuit of sporting excellence.

By Daily Maverick Photo Team · Published 9 March 2026, 19:56 SAST

## Content

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/7uOOkHMIQBXT3f2cBEvaWlnWWso=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265548047_866251.jpg)

*Thomas Grochar of Austria competes during the Men’s Alpine Skiing Super-G Standing on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on 9 March. (Photo: Linnea Rheborg / Getty Images for IPC)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/35DmjdDsoKcIZB3KEBVLPrrj9hQ=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265382474_718144.jpg)

*China's Shiyu Wang competing in the Women's Para Biathlon Individual Sitting on day two of the Paralympic Games. (Photo: Alex Grimm / Getty Images)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/vXAvgkUqTVqCZfFsQlo9SYtBwxo=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265379416_977679.jpg)

*Zhang Mingliang, Li Nana and Chen Jianxin of China during their Wheelchair Curling Mixed Team Round Robin Match against Italy at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. (Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/NkUpQy4ZqtNZ8NiAl12bavPkSMs=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265238385_814273.jpg)

*The USA's Danielle Aravich during the Para Biathlon Women’s Sprint Standing Final at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium on 7 March, 2026. (Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images for IPC)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/8fX4RBo7pWE82mUYkpVl_GoRGVI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/2265562813_705460.jpg)

*Italy’s Davide Bendotti during the Men’s Alpine Skiing Super-G Standing. (Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/Ah9Cqxfpg1-jZ-UqsGkU2rojzK8=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265528415_394512.jpg)

*Ukrainian Bohdana Konashuk during the Women’s Individual Competition Standing Cross-Country event. (Photo: Daniel Kopatsch / Voigt / GettyImages)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/Xi4Whp1nPU-DNV7r_7sTv7XE4NU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/13807210_113540.jpg)

*Switzerland’s Fabrice von Gruenigen receives assistance after a crash during the training for the men’s Para Snowboard Cross on 6 March 2026. (Photo: EPA / Claudio Thoma)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/UQ81JicIjqrg-gZiFJIle0_n0rc=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265549362_571744.jpg)

*China’s Yifeng Shen (#17) takes the puck around Italy’s Santino Stillitano in the Para Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Match. (Photo: James Fearn / Getty Images for IPC)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/gZSryed64CN1cQfXPF6hQTWoQ3I=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265557069_453615.jpg)

*The US’ Andrew Kurka looks on after competing in the Men’s Alpine Skiing Super-G Sitting. (Photo: Mattia Ozbot / Getty Images)*

![Photo Essay-Winter paralympic](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/QqUIu37aFbjMfdR66UgD9hyhPG8=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265401431_364549.jpg)

*Miroslav Motejzik of Team Czechia after finishing the Para Biathlon Individual Standing. (Photo: Buda Mendes / Getty Images)*