Team USA
Last week, our screens and social media feeds transitioned from the five interlocked Olympic rings to the three crescent-shaped swooshes of the Paralympic Games—the world’s largest stage for elite athletes with physical, visual, or intellectual impairments. In Latin, these multicolored swooshes that comprise the Paralympic logo are known as “agito,” which means, quite symbolically: “I move.”
And move, these athletes did. Just two days out from the closing ceremonies (March 15, 2:30 p.m.), Team USA’s athletes are dominating their respective fields, racking up a total medal count of 19—nine gold, five silver, and five bronze—putting them second only to China. Of these Team USA athletes, 10 hail from Minnesota, comprising the highest count from any state.
A testament to the depth of athletic talent and resources that punctuate our northern state, the statistic also speaks to a broader ecosystem of support for adaptive athletics at all levels. Organizations like the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and Reach for Resources offer a wide range of adaptive sports at recreational and elite levels, while the University of Minnesota fosters a deep body of training, equipment access, and competitive opportunities for athletes with disabilities.
In short, Minnesota is deeply invested in the story arcs of these 10 incredible athletes, who exemplify courage, resilience, and self-empowerment with each slalom run and puck shot. Before the Milano fanfare finally wraps up for good, here is an overview of Minnesota’s Paralympians— and how they have represented our state on one of the world’s most inspiring stages.
Mike Schultz, Snowboarding
Hometown: Kimball
A three-time Paralympian and fan favorite affectionately coined as “Monster Mike,” Schultz closed his Paralympic career on a high note—securing a bronze medal in the banked slalom event, nobly cheering on his younger Team USA counterpart, Noah Elliott, who took home gold. At the age of 44, Schultz caps his career with a total of four Paralympic medals, but his legacy extends far beyond the hardware. The founder of BioDapt, Inc., a Minnesota-based company that manufactures high-performance lower-limb prosthetics for sport, Schultz’s groundbreaking innovations will continue to open doors for the next generation of adaptive athletes.
Team USA
Sydney Peterson, Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon
Hometown: Lake Elmo
In a moment that captured America’s hearts, Sydney Peterson skied to victory in the 10-kilometer women’s classic standing event, finishing 2.7 seconds ahead of the silver medalist from Norway. A two-time Paralympian, the victory accounts for Peterson’s fifth medal—and second gold—at the Winter Games. She also nabbed a silver in the 1-kilometer sprint Monday. A native Minnesotan, Peterson attended Stillwater High School—the same school as Jessie Diggins, whom Peterson credits with having a tremendous impact on her athletic career.
Liam Cunningham and Landon Uthke, Sled Hockey
Hometowns: Mendota Heights, Albert Lea
For native Minnesotans Liam Cunningham and Landon Uthke, simply making it to Milano is a momentous achievement—and a deep source of pride for the State of Hockey. The pair are the first Minnesotans ever to represent Team USA in sled hockey at the Paralympic Games, the culmination of years of dedication for two athletes who grew up playing the sport together back home. Cunningham, who just turned 18 March 5, adds another distinction to his Paralympic résumé, as the youngest player on the U.S. roster.
Team USA defeated Czechia this morning to advance its fifth straight gold-medal game—something no Paralympic sled hockey team has ever done. Cunningham and Uthke will make their run for gold on March 15 at 10:05 a.m.
While not Minnesota-born and raised, Joshua Misiewicz is another Team USA sled hocky member with ties to the states, attending St. Mary’s University from 2006-2008 to play for the ice hockey Cardinals.
USA Hockey
Oyuna Uranchimeg, Wheelchair Curling
Hometown: Burnsville
Oyuna Uranchimeg, who was born in Mongolia and immigrated to the Twin Cities area in 2000, describes the United States as the country where she was “reborn.” Paralyzed from the waist down in a tragic car accident in 2000, Uranchimeg was introduced to the sport of wheelchair curling nearly 16 years later at the Four Seasons Curling Club in Blaine, where, at the age of 43, she made a commitment that changed her life. Just six years later, Uranchimeg qualified for her first Paralympic Games in Beijing.
As part of the mixed team event, Uranchimeg has battled through a tough round‑robin schedule in Cortina. Team USA has recorded several competitive wins, including a decisive 9‑2 victory over Korea, but has also faced tight losses against strong opponents like Sweden and Canada, leaving them just outside the top spots in the standings as the round‑robin stage concludes.
Team USA
Additional Results
Aaron Pike—Cross-Country Skiing, Biathlon
Hometown: Pak Rapids
Results:
• Biathlon Men’s Sprint Sitting, 6th place
• Biathlon Men’s Individual Sitting, 4th place
• Biathlon Men’s Sprint Pursuit Sitting, 5th place
• Cross-Country Skiing Men’s Sprint Sitting Semifinals, 5th place
Max Nelson— Cross-Country Skiing
Hometown: Grant
Results:
• Cross-Country Skiing Men’s Sprint Classic Vision Impaired, 14th place
• Cross-Country Skiing Men’s 10km Interval Start Classic Vision Impaired, 13th place
• Cross-Country Skiing Open 4×2.5km Relay, pending (March 14, 5:25 a.m.)
Meg Gustafson— Alpine Skiing
Hometown: Edina
• Women’s Downhill Vision Impaired, 6th place
• Women’s Super-G Vision Impaired, 8th place
• Women’s Alpine Combined Super-G Vision Impaired, 7th place
• Women’s Alpine Combined Slalom Vision Impaired, 7th place
• Women’s Giant Slalom Vision Impaired Run 1, 5th place
• Women’s Giant Slalom Vision Impaired Run 2, 5th place
*Gustafson is accompanied by her guide and brother Spenser Gustafson, also a Minnesota-born athlete.
