Winter Paralympics: Inspirational performances bring success and engagement
As a community partner of Paralympics New Zealand, ACC was proud to see the performances of our athletes and the level of engagement from the New Zealand public during the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
The New Zealand 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 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 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 and 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 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.
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 to 15 March, with the spike following Adam Hall’s brilliant silver medal expected to continue growing.
“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 New Zealand like never before,” PNZ Chief Executive Officer Greg Warnecke says.
“The increasing engagement across broadcast and digital channels is showing there’s more and more interest in Para sport, and support for our New Zealand Paralympians competing on the world stage.”
Corey Peters acting as flagbearer for the New Zealand team at the Winter Paralympics closing ceremony.
Inspirational performances add to rich legacy
As the curtain fell on the 14th edition of the Paralympic Winter Games, the New Zealand team – led by Adam Hall and Paralympian #188 Corey Peters MNZM – added further chapters to its rich legacy.
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, Adam’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.
Adam Hall competed at a record-extending sixth Winter Paralympic Games.
Inspiring change towards an inclusive motu
More broadly, the Paralympic Games were a huge success, attracting 611 Paralympians from 55 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs).
A total of 27 NPCs won medals – a record number at a Paralympic Winter Games – with a number of superstars making their mark, including Oksana Masters of the USA, who claimed four gold and one bronze in the 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 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 New Zealand.
“The performances of the team, 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, in New Zealand but also globally,” Greg says.
“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 New Zealand team at the French Alps in 2030.”
Corey Peters reaffirmed his status as a world-class sit-skier
ACC is a community partner of Paralympics New Zealand. We fund the LevelUp coaching resources and the Para Sport Collective.
What is LevelUp?
- LevelUp is a series of online modules for coaching disabled athletes, no matter whether you’re just starting out or want to grow your skills.
- It’s a free and accessible training course for coaches. It’s available on the Sport NZ learning platform, Sport Tutor. That means you can learn in your own time, at your own pace.
- LevelUp resources are made up of nine modules. Once you complete the first two modules, it will unlock seven additional impairment specific modules.
For more information visit the Paralympics NZ website.
