Australian Paralympian Winter Team Finalised for Milano Cortina 2026

Mountainwatch | Press Release

March 1st 2026: Australia’s team for the Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games sets new benchmarks across representation, performance and cultural significance.

The team of 14 athletes, including two sighted guides, was finalised by Paralympics Australia with the announcement of the Para alpine skiing squad at a ceremony in northern Italy on Friday night (AEDT). The squads for Para Nordic skiing and Para snowboard were named over the previous two nights.

It culminates in Australia’s second-largest team in the Paralympic Winter Games’ 50-year history, one less than the 15 who competed at PyeongChang 2018, and includes a range of records and firsts, including:

• Australia’s first Indigenous Winter Paralympian
• Australia’s youngest female Winter Paralympian
• Australia’s oldest Winter Paralympian
• Australia’s representation in a record number of sports.

Chef de Mission Ben Troy said this was an Australian Paralympic Team well worthy of the nation’s support.

“I’m incredibly proud of the way this team has come together,” Troy said.

“For Australians to compete and qualify for the Paralympic Games in winter sports is extremely challenging. It requires huge amounts of travelling and time away from home, and consistently high performance in often very difficult circumstances.

“This team is the result of years of extremely hard work and commitment by the athletes and their support networks. I want to sincerely thank Snow Australia, Biathlon Australia and everyone at Paralympics Australia who has played a role in developing, supporting and delivering this team to Milano Cortina. Our team is ready and raring to go and to make the most of this incredible opportunity they’ve earned.”

The Australian team will compete in a record four sports: Para alpine skiing, Para snowboard, Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing, one more than at the Torino 2006 Games when Australia was represented in Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing.

The team is captained by Para snowboarder Sean Pollard, who represented Australia at PyeongChang 2018.

Dave Miln, Matt Brumby, Lauren Parker, and Taryn Dickens and her sighted guide Lynn Cullen will compete in Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing, marking Australia’s return to the disciplines collectively known as the Para Nordic sports for the first time in two decades.

By competing at the Winter Paralympics, Parker will become just the eighth Australian dual Summer-Winter Paralympian. Parker will be joined in the exclusive club by Para snowboarder Amanda Reid, who – like Parker – is a Summer Games gold medallist now set for her Winter Paralympics debut.

Of great significance, Reid, one of 16 known Indigenous Australian Paralympians, will become Australia’s first Indigenous Australian Winter Paralympian.

The third team member in the exclusive Summer-Winter club is Para alpine skier Michael Milton, who will complete an extraordinary comeback to elite level competition after last competing for Australia at the Winter Paralympics in 2006. Milton announced last October his intention to make the team for Milano Cortina and has earned selection with his results on the World Cup circuit.

Milton will become Australia’s oldest ever Winter Paralympian, aged 52 yrs and 350 days when the Games opens on March 6. He will also break the record for the longest Australian Paralympic comeback, 6,383 days after he last represented Australia on the ski slopes at Torino 2006.

At the other end of the scale, Para alpine skier Liana France will become Australia’s youngest female Winter Paralympian, aged 16 yrs and 211 days when the Games opens on March 6. France will break the current record held by Para alpine skier Melissa Perrine, who is part of the 2026 Australian team in her profession as a physiotherapist.

France is one of eight athletes, including the two sighted guides, who will make their Paralympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026: the debutants are France, Georgia Gunew, Aaron McCarthy, Dave Miln, Taryn Dickens, Matt Brumby, Lynn Cullen (guide) and Ethan Jackson (guide).

The team features athletes from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT. Para biathlete Brumby lives in South Australia but hails from Tasmania. Reid, too, lives in South Australia but hails from NSW.

Six athletes on the team were identified or supported through Paralympics Australia pathway programs, including Talent Search, Get Involved and the Pathway Academy Program.

Athletes across each sport received equipment and performance support through the Para Sport Equipment Enhancement Program and Para Barriers Grant, reinforcing the systems that underpin Australian Paralympic success.

“This team simply would not be here without the incredible support of a range of people and organisations,” Paralympics Australia Chief Executive Cameron Murray said.

“At the top of that list is the Federal Government, particularly the Minister for Sport Anika Wells, who not only believes in our athletes but also the power of Paralympic sport to inspire all Australians.

“We also thank the Australian Sports Commission, headed by CEO Kieren Perkins, and the Australian Institute of Sport for their strong backing all the way to Milano Cortina, as well as Paralympics Australia’s member organisations Snow Australia and Biathlon Australia for their collaboration and support.

“Equally important has been the consistent backing of our incredible commercial partners and the many thousands of regular Australians who invest in our athletes by donating to Paralympics Australia, helping us to deliver teams to the Paralympic Games and run various programs that create opportunities for athletes with a disability to realise their dreams.”

Milano Cortina 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Paralympic Winter Games. Australia has participated at every edition. Milano Cortina will feature some 665 athletes from 50 nations competing across six sports in 79 medal events.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games begins on March 6. Every moment will be broadcast live and free across Channel 9, 9Now and Stan Sport.

The Australian Paralympic Team is (events in brackets):

Para Alpine Skiing

• Josh Hanlon: Men’s Alpine Combined Sitting, Men’s Downhill Sitting, Men’s Giant Slalom Sitting, Men’s Slalom Sitting, Men’s Super-G Sitting
• Michael Milton: Men’s Giant Slalom Standing, Men’s Slalom Standing
• Liana France: Women’s Giant Slalom Standing, Women’s Slalom Standing
• Georgia Gunew (Guide: Ethan Jackson): Women’s Giant Slalom VI, Women’s Slalom VI

Para Biathlon

• Matt Brumby: Men’s Individual Sitting, Men’s Sprint Pursuit Sitting, Men’s Sprint Sitting
• Dave Miln: Men’s Individual Sitting, Men’s Sprint Pursuit Sitting, Men’s Sprint Sitting
• Lauren Parker: Women’s Individual Sitting, Women’s Sprint Pursuit Sitting, Women’s Sprint Sitting
• Taryn Dickens (Guide: Lynn Maree Cullen): Women’s Individual VI, Women’s Sprint Pursuit Vision Impaired, Women’s Sprint Vision Impaired

Para Cross Country:

• Matt Brumby: Men’s 10km Interval Start Sitting, Men’s 20km Interval Start Sitting, Men’s Sprint Sitting
• Dave Miln: Men’s 10km Interval Start Sitting, Men’s 20km Interval Start Sitting, Men’s Sprint Sitting
• Lauren Parker: Women’s 10km Interval Start Sitting, Women’s 20km Interval Start Sitting, Women’s Sprint Sitting
• Taryn Dickens (Guide: Lynn Maree Cullen): Women’s 10km Interval Start Classic VI, Women’s 20km Interval Start Free VI, Women’s Sprint Classic Vision Impaired
• Team Event: 4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed Team

Para Snowboard:

• Aaron McCarthy: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-LL1, Men’s Snowboard Cross SB-LL1
• Sean Pollard: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-UL, Men’s Snowboard Cross SB-UL
• Ben Tudhope: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-LL2, Men’s Snowboard Cross SB-LL2
• Amanda Reid: Women’s Banked Slalom SB-LL2, Women’s Snowboard Cross SB-LL2