The NZ Paralympic Team truly gave people Something to Talk About at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, ensuring perceptions of disability will continue to change in Aotearoa New Zealand and that lives will be transformed through the power of Para sport.
Not only did the Team impress by claiming a silver medal — courtesy of Paralympian #158 Adam Hall MNZM in the Men’s Slalom Standing — and four top-six finishes, the 50th anniversary edition of the Paralympic Winter Games left a lasting legacy in several other areas.
Capturing the hearts and minds of the public in Aotearoa New Zealand like never before, Milano Cortina 2026 led to record-breaking engagement levels for a Paralympic Winter Games across both linear and digital channels.
The TVNZ broadcast coverage was a huge success, offering live daily coverage on TVNZ Duke, led by experienced broadcaster Jenny-May Clarkson, supported by five dedicated pop-up channels bringing the best of the live action, replays and highlights from all 79 medal events across six winter Para sports. The total reach of Games coverage across TVNZ Duke was more than 395,000 and the Games generated more than 96,000 streams on TVNZ+ to ensure Kiwis were widely engaged in the Team and more broadly Milano Cortina 2026.
Digitally across Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) channels, there was also record-breaking engagement for a Paralympic Winter Games. Led by the innovative Something to Talk About campaign, which focused on each Paralympian and technology, PNZ generated a combined 1.2 million views across Facebook and Instagram during the Games period from 6–15 March, with the spike following Hall’s brilliant silver medal expected to continue growing in the coming days.
Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) Chief Executive Officer Greg Warnecke said: “With TVNZ delivering unprecedented Paralympic Winter Games coverage, and our media and digital partners amplifying the #SomethingToTalkAbout social impact marketing campaign, the excitement and energy of winter Paralympic sport has been watched, shared, and talked about across Aotearoa New Zealand, like never before.”
“The increasing engagement across broadcast and digital channels, is showing that there is more and more interest in Para sport, and support for our New Zealand Paralympians competing on the world stage”.
As the curtain fell on the 14th edition of the Paralympic Winter Games, it was the NZ Paralympic Team — led by Adam Hall and Paralympian #188 Corey Peters MNZM – who added further chapters to the rich legacy of the Team. For Adam, competing at a record-extending sixth Paralympic Winter Games for a Kiwi, his sixth Paralympic medal of a stellar career sees him draw level with Paralympian #55 Patrick Cooper as the most decorated New Zealand Winter Paralympian.
Meanwhile, Hall’s successful election to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Council for the next four years — announced on the final day at Milano Cortina 2026 – ensures a Kiwi voice will provide feedback and advice to the Governing Board on IPC matters from a Para athlete perspective, furthering the interests of Paralympic athletes and strengthening engagement with Paralympians and the wider Para athlete community.
The contribution of Corey Peters, the second Kiwi Para alpine skier in action at Milano Cortina 2026, should also not be underestimated. He may not have secured the medal he craved, but fifth-place finishes in the Men’s Giant Slalom Sitting and Men’s Downhill Sitting, along with sixth in the Men’s Super-G Sitting, reaffirmed his status as a world-class sit-skier.
More broadly the Games were a huge success, attracting 611 Paralympians from 55 National Paralympic Committees (NPC’s). Some 27 NPC’s won medals – a record number at a Paralympic Winter Games – with a number of superstar Paralympians making their mark including Oksana Masters of the USA, who claimed four gold and one bronze across the Para sports of Para cross-country skiing and Para biathlon to take her total haul of Paralympic medals to 24, having also claimed podiums in Para rowing and Para cycling.
Now the flame has been extinguished on the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and the Paralympic flag handed on to French Alps 2030, the conversations sparked during nine days of action in northern Italy can continue to inspire change towards a more inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand.
“The performances of the NZ Paralympic Team at Milano Cortina 2026, and the increasing global reach and success of the Paralympic Games are contributing to making a positive impact and changing attitudes on disability for the better, both in Aotearoa New Zealand, but also globally”, added Warnecke.
“With the continued widespread coverage of the Games and conversations about Para sport, more opportunities will be created to identify the next Adam Hall or Corey Peters, able to represent the NZ Paralympic Team at the French Alps in 2030.”
For full results go here.
