The XIV Winter Paralympic Games will take place in Milan and Cortina, Italy, from March 6 to 15, 2026. Approximately 600 athletes are expected to compete for 79 medal sets across six sports: para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, para snowboarding, and wheelchair curling.
Kazakhstan made its debut at the Winter Paralympic Games in 1994 in Lillehammer, where Kazakh athlete Lyubov Vorobyova won a silver medal. Since then, the country has participated in seven Winter Paralympic Games.
At the XII Winter Paralympic Games in PyeongChang 2018 (South Korea), Kazakh skier Alexander Kolyadin made history by winning the country’s first-ever Winter Paralympic gold medal in the 1.5 km sprint classic style race. The national team was represented by six athletes competing in cross-country skiing and biathlon. Kazakhstan finished in 20th place in the overall medal standings, the same result the country achieved 31 years earlier in Lillehammer.
At the XIII Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing 2022, Kazakhstan's team consisted of five athletes competing in para cross-country skiing and biathlon. Kazakh biathlete Alexander Gerlits won a bronze medal in the 10 km race, securing 17th place for Kazakhstan in the overall medal standings.
Currently, more than 100 athletes in Kazakhstan participate in para Nordic skiing disciplines. Of them, 25 are part of the national team, while eight leading athletes are included in the elite squad, training under the guidance of experienced specialists. The head coach for para cross-country skiing and para biathlon is Vasiliy Kolomiyets, while Anton Zhdanovich serves as the senior coach. It is also worth noting that para ice hockey is rapidly developing in Kazakhstan, with a national team formed and actively competing in international tournaments.
Athletes undergo a long and demanding qualification process to earn a spot at the Winter Paralympic Games. They must consistently perform at a high level in World Championships and World Cup stages to accumulate ranking points.
For example, in the current world para biathlon rankings, Kazakh athlete Yerbol Khamitov holds 1st place in the LW12 class, while Sergey Usoltsev is ranked 10th. In the LW6 class, Alexander Gerlits is in 7th place.
The final list of qualified athletes for the XIV Winter Paralympic Games will be announced in the summer of this year.