Kalle Eriksson, Kurt Oatway, and Natalie Wilkie deliver Canada’s first three medals at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
Eriksson Starts Canada’s Medal Run with Silver
Kalle Eriksson, guided by Sierra Smith, kicked off Canada’s medal haul at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Competing in the men’s visually impaired downhill, the Kimberley, B.C. para alpine skier claimed a thrilling silver in his Paralympic debut.
Eriksson finished with a time of 1:18.33, just behind Austria’s Johannes Aigner (1:16.08) and narrowly ahead of Italy’s Giacomo Bertagnolli (1:18.64).
“Both me and Sierra are on top of the world right now and still pumping,” Eriksson said. “I can’t believe our run, and I’m so proud of how we did it.”
Smith added, “It wasn’t perfect, but we hit the points we wanted and skied very strong. There’s always room to improve, but I’m super happy with our performance today.”
Oatway Returns with a Bronze Comeback
Calgary’s Kurt Oatway earned Canada’s second medal of the day, taking bronze in the men’s downhill sitting ski event. The 42-year-old finished in 1:19.42, narrowly missing silver by 0.18 seconds to the Netherlands’ Niels de Langen. Norway’s Jesper Pederson captured gold with 1:18.14.
Oatway’s return to the Paralympic slopes was nothing short of remarkable. He missed the 2022 Beijing Games after suffering a serious crash at the world championships that left him with a broken collarbone, torn ligaments, multiple broken ribs, and a punctured lung—just a month before the Games.
“The road to coming back was long, but here I am, and I’ve got a piece of hardware to show for it,” Oatway said. “If I keep winning, who knows? Maybe I’ll aim for another Paralympic cycle.”
Wilkie Secures Biathlon Silver in Stunning Debut
Natalie Wilkie, of Salmon Arm, B.C., added Canada’s third medal on the opening day, claiming silver in the women’s standing sprint biathlon. It’s her eighth Paralympic medal but her first in biathlon, finishing the 7.5-kilometre course in 18:46.4 without a shooting penalty.
Ukrainian athletes Oleksandra Kononova and Liudmyla Liashenko took gold and bronze with times of 18:41.5 and 19:13.9, respectively.
“It doesn’t feel real. This was a big goal heading into the Games, to win a biathlon medal, and to do it on the first day is so special,” Wilkie said. “Biathlon is the event I struggle with. I’m not the fastest shooter, but I know I’m a fast skier. Today, that worked in my favour.”
Canada’s Paralympic journey is off to a stellar start, with three inspiring performances that showcase grit, resilience, and incredible talent. From Eriksson’s first-time thrill to Oatway’s comeback and Wilkie’s milestone in biathlon, the nation has plenty to cheer about on day one in Val di Fiemme.
