{"id":326243,"date":"2026-03-07T05:51:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T05:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/326243\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T05:51:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T05:51:16","slug":"johannes-aigner-leads-star-cast-on-day-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/326243\/","title":{"rendered":"Johannes Aigner leads star cast on Day 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a glittering Opening Ceremony<\/a>, the competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games<\/a> gets underway with the first full day of competition.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the key moments to watch out for on Day 1, including the first medals of the Games in Para alpine skiing and Para biathlon.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Day of downhill heralds start of alpine programme<\/p>\n

The first Para alpine skiing medals of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games medals will be awarded on Saturday 7 March. The action kicks off at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre with the men\u2019s and women\u2019s downhill races in all three categories.<\/p>\n

Japanese sit-skier Momoka Muraoka<\/a> was formidable at Beijing 2022 with triple gold, including in downhill. However, she has not raced since November when she broke her collarbone so her form is uncertain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Johannes Aigner had an incredible run at Beijing, clinching medals in all five events in the vision impaired category, including gold in the men\u2019s downhill. Johannes and sister Veronika are aiming for medals in all five disciplines<\/a> in the vision-impaired class.<\/p>\n

The key, Johannes says, is \u201ca cold head\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know what we can do and when we bring that on the slope, then we’ll be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arthur Bauchet<\/a> of France and Canada\u2019s Mollie Jepsen will aim to defend their standing titles. Bauchet was a triple gold medallist at Beijing 2022.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Japan’s Momoka Muraoka: how will she perform following her injury lay-off? @Christian Petersen\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Oksana Masters in spotlight in Para biathlon<\/p>\n

Six gold medals will be awarded on the opening day of the Para biathlon action at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium on Saturday (7 March), all in the sprint event.<\/p>\n

Oksana Masters is the USA\u2019s most decorated Paralympian in history, with 14 winter medals among her 19-medal Paralympic total. She will battle in the sitting sprint with Kendall Gretsch, the five-time Paralympic medallist in Para cross-country skiing and Para\u00a0biathlon. Masters has the better sprint record at the Paralympics.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Oksana Masters with fiance and fellow biathlete Aaron Pike. @Michael Steele\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ukraine dominated the biathlon with 22 medals, including eight golds, at Beijing. Oksana Shyshkova, a five-time gold medallist in Para biathlon and cross-country skiing, will defend her sprint VI title.<\/p>\n

Her compatriot Grygorii Vovchynskyi aims to defend his standing title, as does Zixu Liu in the sitting category.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

USA shoot for fifth straight Para ice hockey gold<\/p>\n

Para ice hockey begins with the preliminary round on Saturday (7 March) at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, where the USA and Canada will be the teams to beat.<\/p>\n

While USA take on hosts Italy in Group A, Canada will play Slovakia in Group B. In the earlier matches, Czechia take on Japan and China face Germany.<\/p>\n

Team USA will be aiming for their fifth consecutive and sixth overall title, while three-time silver medallists Canada are targeting a long-awaited second gold. Their last triumph was also in Italy: at Torino 2006.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re feeling very prepared physically, but also mentally,\u201d Canada goaltender Adam Kingsmill said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know a lot of our teammates, our coaches and staff have invested in mental performance, so that’s been a huge game changer for us. There’s only one option, and that’s gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

China, bronze medallists at Beijing 2022, will take inspiration from forward Yifeng Shen, who scored eight goals and assisted six more on home ice four years ago.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Yifeng Shen competes for China at Beijing 2022. @Steph Chambers\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Paralympic champions return in Para snowboard<\/p>\n

Action at Cortina Para Snowboard Park opens with the seeding runs of the men\u2019s and women\u2019s snowboard cross.<\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s Tyler Turner and China\u2019s Lijia Ji return to defend their Beijing 2022 titles. Turner became Canada\u2019s first Paralympic snowboard champion when he won the gold in men\u2019s snowboard cross SB-LL1, besides his bronze in banked slalom at Beijing.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

China the nation to beat in wheelchair curling<\/p>\n

Round-robin matches in wheelchair curling mixed doubles continue at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, while the mixed team action also begins.<\/p>\n

The mixed doubles competition is making its Paralympic debut at these Games. After three days of matches, China lead the mixed doubles round-robin table with four wins from four. The top four teams go through to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

To reclaim gold in the mixed team event, Canada will need to get past world No.1 China, skipped by Haitao Wang, who arrives at Milano Cortina 2026 as two-time defending Paralympic champions.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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