Winter Paralympics: Veterans eye extra medals at 2026 Games

The 2026 Winter Paralympics happen March 7-15 in Milan.

Among the 72 members of the 2026 U.S. Paralympic crew are 9 athletes with navy or academy expertise.

The 2026 Paralympic Winter Games start with Friday’s opening ceremony, with competitors March 7-15.  As with the Winter Olympics, NBC, Peacock and USA Network will carry protection of the Paralympic Games.

Here’s a have a look at these Paralympians with navy ties representing Team USA.

Alpine snowboarding

David Williams, who sustained a spinal wire harm whereas serving within the Navy, is competing in his second Paralympics after debuting in Beijing in 2022.

Curling

After attending West Point, Steve Emt was paralyzed after an auto accident. He’s now a three-time Paralympian, ending 12^th in crew combined curling in Pyeongchang in 2018 and 5^th within the occasion in Beijing in 2022.

While serving within the Army in Afghanistan in 2010, Dan Rose’s truck was hit by an IED. Rose was left paralyzed from the chest down. He’ll be competing in his first Paralympics.

Another first time Paralympian is Katie Verderber. A former Judge Advocate General within the Army, she medically retired after a again harm in Afghanistan completely broken her backbone.

Sled hockey

Three members of Team USA’s sled hockey crew are veterans.

Marine veteran Travis Dodson was struck by a grenade in Iraq in 2007, shedding his left leg on the hip and proper leg under the knee. He competed within the biathlon in Sochi in 2014, then joined the U.S. sled hockey crew and earned gold medals in Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022.

Army veteran Jen Lee was injured in a motorbike accident and had his left leg amputated above the knee. He’s a three-time gold medalist, as backup goalie in 2014 and 2018 and beginning goalie in 2022.

Marine veteran Josh Misiewicz misplaced each his legs after being injured by an IED in Afghanistan in 2011. He’s in his third Paralympics, and in 2022 completed third on the crew in scoring with 4 objectives and 6 assists.

Nordic snowboarding

While serving as platoon commander for SEAL Team One in Afghanistan in 2009, Dan Cnossen stepped on an IED and misplaced each legs above the knees. He’ll compete in his fourth Paralympics this 12 months, wanting so as to add to his seven medals (two gold, 4 silver and one bronze).

Marine veteran Josh Sweeney stepped on an IED whereas on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009, shedding each legs above the knee. He helped Team USA win the sled hockey gold medal within the 2014 Games, as he scored the game-winning objective within the closing and obtained the inaugural ESPY Pat Tillman Award for Service. He returned to the Paralympics in 2022 in cross-country snowboarding.