)
Italian skier is thrilled that he will be competing on home soil during the 2026 Winter Olympics Games.
Para alpine skier Giacomo Bertagnolli is relishing a special moment of guiding his country Italy to bag more gold medals at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games on home soil.
The 25-year-old is no stranger to the taste of gold. He won four Winter Paralympic gold medals, two at each of the Games he competed at. What he has yet to experience, however, is winning gold in front of family and friends.
)
06:33 - 12.09.2024
'It's worth all the hard work'-Anna Nicholson narrates battling tough conditions for maiden Paralympic bronze
Anna Nicholson battled through tough weather conditions to claim her first Paralympic bronze in shot put after years of dedication.
After two Winter Paralympic Games editions in Asia - PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 - the Italian ski star will begin a third quest for gold a mere hour and a half away from his doorstep. "It will surely be completely new emotions,” Bertagnolli told Olympics.com.
He said the support of the home crowd, especially friends and family are an experience he looks forward to. "To have everyone who knows you, friends, family, my girlfriend, all there to cheer you on is definitely something different than competing on the other side of the world with people having to get up at night to follow the races. It will be something different. There will probably be a lot more emotions to deal with, and it won't be easy at all," he said.
)
14:39 - 08.09.2024
'This is everything!'- Gabby Thomas marvells at the Woodhalls' gold medal triumphs at Paris Paralympics & Olympics
Gabby Thomas has penned a heartfelt message to Paralympic gold medalist Hunter Woodhall and his long jump Olympic gold medalist wife Tara Davis-Woodhall following their success in Paris this Summer.
With 500 days to go until the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games, Bertagnolli is among the host country’s biggest medal hopes. He has already shown that he can carry heavy expectations.
At Beijing 2022, he was selected to be Italy's flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony. He brought back four medals in the vision impaired class – the same tally he amassed on his Winter Paralympic debut in 2018.
The eight-time paralympic medalist has set an ambitious goal for the home Paralympics: to win medals in five out of five races. While Giacomo Bertagnolli is now usually seen holding ski poles, there was a time when it was more common to find him with a hockey stick in hand. The champion skier played ice hockey for years, but ultimately had to give up the sport when his vision deteriorated.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)