There’s more than the Olympics at a Winter Games. What to know about the Paralympics

Key Highlights

• Get your friends excited.
• Watch the Games.
• Think about how you can get involved in Para sport and supporting Para athletes in the eight years leading up to the Games, and not just the Games,” she said. In Italy, spectators will be in the stands for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 resulted in fans being banned from the last Winter Games, held in Beijing in 2022. Executive Director of the Paralympic Games Colleen Wrenn looks on during an interview with the Deseret News at the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games offices in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan.
• 15, 2026.
• | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret NewsThe 2026 Winter Games are spread across northern Italy, providing some spectacular locations for the Paralympics, Wrenn said, citing the “energy and creativity” of Milan and the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSome 600 athletes are expected to compete in 79 medal events across six sports at the 2026 Paralympics, para Alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, para snowboard and wheelchair curling.“We expect that, especially coming after the Olympics, there’s going to be a lot of enthusiasm to be in the venues, to cheer for the athletes,” she said, a chance “to inspire the next generation of athletes.”The longtime event organizer from California, who joined the German-based IPC nearly five years ago, said one of her goals is to build on what Utahns already know about the Paralympics from the 2002 Winter Games. There’s a “special opportunity we have here in Utah, given the familiarity, the incredible experiences in 2002,” Wrenn said.