There’s an “end of the games” feeling in the air, yet the countdown along Corso Italia shows 12 days to go, and we can be sure that great emotions are still to come—linked to the achievements of the Paralympic athletes and their powerful stories, which have so much to tell.
Indeed, these have been Games in which the human aspects—the most engaging and moving ones—have received significant attention in the media.
From sport, a fundamental element has emerged—perhaps the one that makes it so widely loved, even by non-experts: its ability to mirror life, with its victories and defeats, its difficult moments and comebacks, its falls and the warmth of the people who help us get back on our feet.
And what we will witness from March 6 to 15 will surely further highlight the essential bond between sport and life, also showing how dedicating oneself to a discipline can be a way to rediscover oneself and begin anew.
Some athletes have already arrived in Cortina ahead of the March competitions, and we are certain that the special atmosphere—full of energy and enthusiasm—that characterized Cortina from February 6 to 22 will return.
The Queen of the Dolomites, for her part, is preparing to host numerous sporting events.
Paralympic alpine skiing includes five disciplines (slalom, giant slalom, downhill, super-G, alpine combined) across three men’s and women’s categories.
Snowboard features two disciplines (banked slalom and snowboard cross) across three men’s categories and one women’s category.
Wheelchair curling, finally, will see mixed doubles and mixed team competitions take place at the Ice Stadium, which will also host the closing ceremony.
While waiting to experience those moments, Cortina will once again prepare itself, shining in the meantime with its natural beauty—that of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The snow-covered peaks and slopes have truly captured everyone’s hearts, along with many other factors, including the warmth of the local people and Italian cuisine. But that is another story, to be told another time.
In the meantime, let us enjoy the closing ceremony dedicated to the theme “Beauty in Action”: a tribute to beauty in motion, expressed in every aspect—from sport to art, from hospitality to the places themselves. A true hymn to the most authentic soul of Italy, the one that has earned it the title of the “Bel Paese.”
Article by Chiara Costa | 22.02.2026
