Defending Paralympic alpine skiing champion Neil Simpson leads the first wave of athletes confirmed in the Great Britain squad for the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games in Italy. The gold medalist in the Super-G and bronze medalist in the Super Combined at Beijing 2022 will compete in Milano-Cortina accompanied by guide Andrew in speed events, and Rob Poth in technical events.
Scott Meenagh, the first British athlete to win a medal at the Para Nordic World Championships—achieving silver in the 12.5km individual biathlon in 2023—will compete in his third Paralympics.
The initial selection from snow sports is completed by snowboarders James Barnes-Miller and Ollie Hill, with further athlete selections scheduled for February.
“With fewer than 80 days to go before the start of the Games, I am absolutely delighted to see the first names on the ParalympicsGB team sheet for Milano-Cortina 2026,” said Phil Smith, Chef de Mission.
“As the winter season begins, there is a real sense of excitement about what will happen in Italy next year,” added Phil Smith.
“All six athletes bring a wealth of experience, and I cannot wait to see them in action, knowing they are capable of delivering incredible performances that the nation will be proud of.”
The upcoming Games next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympic Games and will run from March 6 to 15.
The wheelchair curling mixed doubles event has been added to the program as a new medal competition.
Great Britain achieved six medals at the last Games in Beijing, including Neil Simpson’s gold medal—the nation’s first-ever gold on snow in either an Olympic or Paralympic competition.
This was one shy of the equivalent total in Pyeongchang four years earlier, which was Great Britain’s best performance at a Winter Paralympic Games since Lillehammer in 1994.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
An independent media platform providing reliable news and objective analysis, seeking to promote peace and cultural dialogue around the world to convey the truth and build bridges of understanding between peoples.
For more news, you can visit our homepage:
