The Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games officially began Friday, and HuffPost will be tracking it all.From medal moments to politically related controversies, we’ll keep you updated throughout the sporting showcase, which marks the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics.Competition began Wednesday with events in wheelchair curling and para alpine skiing.The opening ceremony at the Verona Olympic Arena, the historic Roman amphitheater, featured performances by The Police drummer Stewart Copeland, Italian house music trio Meduza and more.The Games will run until March 15 with the closing ceremony at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, the venue that also hosted the opening ceremony of the 1956 Winter Olympics.Check out our latest updates here:Russia Officially Wins Its First Paralympic Medal Since 2014Russia has won its first Paralympic medal since it hosted the Games at Sochi 2014, as its athletes have been allowed for the first time in more than a decade to compete under their country’s flag.Visually impaired Para alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina on Saturday won bronze in the women’s downhill standing competition at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympic Games.Read more on The Associated Press:See All UpdatesClose