Courtesy of Team USA
Of the 72 athletes representing the United States at this year’s Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy, eight are from Minnesota—and many of them are world champions in their sports, including a few with some gold, silver, and bronze hardware from previous Paralympics. Here’s a rundown of Minnesotans to watch as the Games kick off on Friday, March 6.
Aaron Pike
Hometown: Park Rapids
Pike is a year-round Olympian, having attended the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Paralympics (where he competed in wheelchair racing) and the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Winter Paralympics. This year, as in past Winter Games, he’ll compete in Nordic skiing—both cross-country skiing and biathlon events.
Liam Cunningham
Hometown: Mendota Heights
Cunningham has the distinction, at age 17, of being the youngest player on the 2026 American Paralympic sled hockey team—and one of the first two Minnesotans ever to represent Team USA in sled hockey (along with teammate Landon Uthke). The Americans face Italy, Germany, and China in the first preliminary rounds of the Games.
Landon Uthke
Hometown: Albert Lea
Uthke grew up in playing sled hockey for the Rochester Mustangs and the Minnesota Wild’s sled team. Uthke and fellow defenseman Liam Cunningham are the first Minnesotans ever to represent Team USA in sled hockey at the Paralympic Games.
Oyuna Uranchimeg
Hometown: Burnsville
Batoyun “Oyuna” Uranchimeg grew up in Mongolia and was visiting a friend in Minnesota when she was paralyzed in an accident in 2000. She stayed in Minnesota and started wheelchair curling in 2016. Uranchimeg quickly became a key player in the sport, helping the U.S. national team win world championships and other awards. This year, she’ll compete in mixed team events at the Paralympic Games.
Blake Eaton
Hometown: Proctor
Eaton, who started skiing with Duluth’s Northland Adaptive Recreation program, will compete in alpine skiing events at this year’s Games, including combined sitting, downhill sitting, and super-G sitting.
Max Nelson
Hometown: Grant
Nelson, a Mahtomedi High School alum, made his Paralympic debut at Beijing’s 2022 Winter Games. This year, the Nordic skier will compete in cross-country skiing vision impaired events, including men’s intervals and sprints. Savage, Minnesota, native Gus Schatzlein will be Nelson’s guide for this year’s races.
Sydney Peterson
Hometown: Lake Elmo
This lifelong Nordic skier competed for Stillwater Area High School, her alma mater, and made her Paralympic debut in 2022, where she claimed a silver medal in the women’s 15km classic standing event, in addition to bronze (skate sprint) and gold (team mixed relay) medals. For the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, Peterson will compete in cross-country skiing and biathlon events.
Mike Schultz
Hometown: Kimball
Schultz was the United States’ flag-bearer at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, where he won gold and silver medals in snowboarding. His prosthetics company makes knees and feet that are used by the entire U.S. Paralympic snowboard team in the LL-1 and LL-2 classes. At the 2026 Games, Schultz will compete in banked slalom and cross events.
The 2026 Paralympic Winter Games run March 6-15. Rosters and event schedules are subject to change. For up-to-date information, visit paralympic.org.
Courtesy of NHL
