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:Here’s Where The U.S. Stands In The Paralympics Medal Table So FarAlmost halfway through the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics, the United States is sitting in sixth position in the medals table.The U.S. has so far won one gold (courtesy of Oksana Masters) four silvers (Kendall Gretsch, Noah Elliot, Kate Delson, Patrick Halgren) and two bronze medals (Andrew Kurka, Gretsch).China, which had been widely predicted to dominate the Games, tops the table with 17 medals. Ukraine is in second place with 10, three of them gold.See All UpdatesClose