OPINION: Just as impressive and important

One of the greatest shows of athletic abilities has finally ended, bringing Team USA yet another hockey win and second place in the world. No, I’m not talking about the Olympics.

The 2026 Winter Paralympics officially ended March 15. More than 600 athletes from 55 different countries competed in 79 events over six sports.

Despite these athletes still being the best of the best, the knowledge of their disabilities seems to make the world less excited to celebrate their accomplishments. Over the last two weeks, despite these athletes competing at levels most of us could only ever dream of, I’ve seen neither hide nor hair of the event online, aside from a few disabled creators.

While the Paralympics were held at the same place as the Olympics, various changes were made to ensure everything was accessible. Changes include braille on the back of each medal and the addition of specialized transportation. However, accessibility remains difficult for those attending or even simply viewing the games at home, due to a lack of subtitles or sign language interpreters.

As I previously mentioned, Team USA ended up taking second in the 2026 Paralympics, earning 13 gold medals and 24 medals overall. China came in first with 15 gold medals and 44 medals overall. The final gold medal earned was from the para ice hockey championships between the U.S. and Canada, with Team USA earning the win with a score of 6-2.

This win was one of the most-widely celebrated Paralympic wins due to the recent success of both the men’s and women’s teams at the Olympics. However, there are plenty of other moments in the Paralympics that stand out.

For example, 16-year-old Meg Gustafson from Colorado competed in five different events as an alpine skier. However, as someone with a visual impairment, Meg wasn’t skiing alone. Skiing alongside her was her 18-year-old brother Spenser, acting as her sighted guide. The two ended up placing fifth in the giant slalom on March 12. Competing at this level is an experience that would already be amazing on its own, but to be able to do so alongside family is its own wonder.

Another athlete’s story that I enjoyed learning about was Oksana Masters, the biathlon and cross-country skier originally from Ukraine. Now living in Kentucky, Masters won four gold medals and one bronze this year, bringing her all-time Paralympics medal total to 14 gold, five silver and five bronze.

Despite an illustrious past as an athlete, Masters had many difficulties leading up to this year’s competition. According to an interview with PEOPLE, three weeks before the 2026 Paralympics, Masters developed a bone infection in her leg, had to undergo surgery and had a concussion. Despite all this, she managed to gather her strength back in time to help bring Team USA to second place.

Jake Adicoff also brought the U.S. four gold medals this year. Originally from Idaho, this visually impaired skier became the first out gay man to win an individual Winter Paralympic medal. Adicoff now has earned five gold medals and three silver medals for the U.S.

Minnesotan Sydney Peterson is only 24, but she is actively working on a neuroscience PhD at the University of Utah. At the same time, she is competing in biathlons and cross-country skiing at the Paralympics. This year, she won three gold medals and a silver medal. Between the 2022 and 2026 Paralympics, Peterson has earned four gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal.

I’m sure it comes as a surprise to no one that a number of the winter Paralympians came from the Midwest. Iowa’s sole athlete was Kevin McKee from Davenport. This was McKee’s fourth Paralympics, for which he competes in sled hockey, in each of which his team has earned a gold medal.

Noah Elliot of St. Charles, Missouri, won a gold and silver medal this year for his snowboarding prowess, while Minnesota saw five athletes, including the previously mentioned Peterson, win a total of six medals. Four athletes from Illinois earned a total of four medals, with two of the athletes being members of the sled hockey team.

And, this year, Wisconsin was the U.S. state with the most athletes competing in the Paralympics with a total of six athletes. Sports included one in sled hockey, four wheelchair curlers and one alpine skier. Hockey player Liam Cunningham was the youngest on the winning U.S. team this year at 18 years old. Curlers Laura Dwyer and Steve Emt took fourth place in mixed doubles. Curlers Dan Rose and Matt Thums competed in the mixed team curlers competition, taking ninth.

And then there’s the athlete I have been most excited for - the alpine skier out of Kaukauna, Robert Enigl. Kaukauna is part of the area I grew up in, and Fox Valley Tech, where Enigl went to school, is along the road I drove to get to high school every day. Plus, he’s a skier, which is one of the few sports I actually can do. This was the second time Enigl has competed in the Paralympics, earning his best placing yet at ninth place for men’s giant slalom. Now that I’m aware of him, I’m going to be paying closer attention at the next Paralympics!

I’m hoping some of these stories inspired you to pay more attention to these athletes in future events. What they’re doing is just as impressive as Olympic athletes, and they deserve to be celebrated as such.