The Paralympics: Lessons in the Stunning Accomplishments of Para Athletes

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On March 9, Momoka Muraoka won a silver medal in the women's Super-G Alpine sitting event at the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics. She thus became the first Japanese athlete to appear on the awards podium at the 2026 Paralympic Games.

Muraoka, dubbed the "Winter Para Queen," has now won 10 medals since making her Paralympic debut at Sochi 2014. Her second-place finish was a remarkable achievement on the big stage of the Paralympics, considering that she broke her collarbone in November 2025 and was unable to practice. We are left simply dumbfounded by her superhuman abilities.

The sense of speed in the Alpine skiing events at the Paralympics rivals that of Olympic competitions for able-bodied athletes. However, other events, too, bring their own discoveries and thrills.

The Paralympics are a celebration of human potential, and the success of Para athletes inspires hope in the rest of us.

War Amidst the Paralympic Games

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began just before the start of the last Paralympics in 2022, is still going on today. And the United States and Israel have begun air attacks on Iran.

Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus have been allowed to represent their countries and use their national flags and anthems at these Paralympics. That led to seven countries, including Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Finland, boycotting the opening ceremony in protest. And Iran has withdrawn from participation. It said that the safety of its athletes cannot be ensured while traveling to and from Italy.

During the opening ceremony, volunteers took the place of the boycotting Ukrainian athletes, marching while carrying the Ukrainian flag. They drew particularly loud cheers from the crowd.

In his speech at the opening ceremony on March 6, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said: "Four years ago, I said I was horrified at what was happening in the world. Unfortunately, the situation has not improved."

Parsons' words show that he obviously had Russia's invasion of Ukraine very much in mind.

Paralympians Capture Our Attention

We cannot help but feel frustrated by the dark clouds hanging over the global event. But now that it has begun, we should focus on celebrating the various competitions. How can we not be captivated by the efforts of athletes from Japan and other nations who have been training hard in preparation for these games?

In the recent 2026 Winter Olympics, Japanese figure skaters and snowboarders enjoyed tremendous success. Compared to the excitement they generated in Japan, the Paralympics have not garnered as much attention.

However, recall how the Tokyo Summer Olympics had to be staged without spectators in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even more than for the regular Olympics, officials handling the Paralympics explored the possibility of allowing schoolchildren to attend the games. And they spared no effort until the very end to hold the games in front of spectators.

The athletes themselves want to be seen when they compete. We should help ensure their wish becomes a reality. And we would like to see schools use the Paralympics in an innovative way to improve education.