Six Russian athletes who will compete at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Italy (PHOTOS)
The Games will be held from March 6 to 15. Russian athletes will be able to compete under the national flag and anthem.
1. Alexey Bugayev (alpine skiing)
This 28-year-old athlete is a seven-time medalist and three-time Paralympic champion. At the age of 16, he became the overall winner at the World Cup in Canada, winning gold in all disciplines. In January, Bugayev added two more gold medals to his collection at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Germany. At the Paralympic Games in Italy, he’s considered a serious contender for gold in slalom and super combined.
2. Varvara Voronchikhina (alpine skiing)
This is the first Paralympic Games in Italy for this two-time world champion. Four years ago, Varvara's performance at the Alpine Skiing World Cup earned the Russian Paralympic team six medals, including two gold. Her overall Cup victory allowed her to surpass the renowned French athlete Marie Bochet, an eight-time Paralympic champion.
3. Ivan Golubkov (cross-country skiing)
Golubov is a six-time world champion and nine-time World Cup winner. He prepared for the competition in Italy knowing that he might not have the chance to compete. This is precisely what happened with the Games in Pyeongchang and Beijing. Nevertheless, he promises to give his best: "I'll put up a fight!"
4. Anastasia Bagiyan (cross-country skiing)
Bagiyan is a three-time Russian champion, World Championship medalist and winner of the World Cup stage in Germany. It’ll be Anastasia's first time competing in the Paralympics: She will be competing for medals alongside leading athlete Sergey Sinyakin (visually impaired athletes compete in pairs).
5. Dmitry Fadeev (snowboarding)
Dmitry turned to professional sport six years ago, having previously skied for fun. After a serious injury on a ski slope, he lost a leg.
A year later, he returned to snowboarding and began competing in Paralympic competitions. Today, he is a four-time Russian champion. At the Games in Italy, he’ll be competing in the snowboard cross and slalom events.
6. Philippe Shebbo Monzer (snowboarding)
A medalist at the Russian Championships and the European Cup, Monzer entered Paralympic sport after a serious injury. After losing a leg in an accident, he decided to develop his own prosthesis – a design that’s now being used by other athletes, including the abovementioned Dmitry Fadeev.
