niels de langen claims silver in chaotic paralympic downhill
Cortina d’Ampezzo, zaterdag, 7 maart 2026.
Dutch sit-skier niels de langen has won silver at the paralympic winter games in cortina d’ampezzo. it is the first medal for the netherlands at the 2026 games. de langen stayed calm during a chaotic race marked by multiple crashes, including one involving british favourite chris kindred. the 27-year-old from arnhem posted an early strong time that held up until norwegian jesper pedersen claimed gold with a run just over a second faster. canadian kurt oatway took bronze, finishing 0.18 seconds behind de langen. this marks de langen’s third career paralympic medal after winning silver and bronze in peking 2022. his achievement gives a significant morale boost to the dutch team. de langen competes across five disciplines this year, aiming for gold in upcoming races.
de langen secures silver in turbulent downhill
Dutch sit-skier Niels de Langen claimed silver in the men’s sitting downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. Competing in Cortina d’Ampezzo, he recorded a time of 1 minute and 19.24 seconds [2]. The gold went to Norway’s Jesper Pedersen, who finished in 1 minute and 18.14 seconds, narrowly edging out De Langen [2]. Canada’s Kurt Oatway completed the podium, trailing De Langen by 0.18 seconds [1]. The race saw several competitors fail to finish, highlighting its difficulty [2].
calm under pressure amidst course chaos
Despite a series of dramatic crashes on the challenging Tofane course, De Langen maintained composure throughout his run [1]. One notable incident involved British favorite Chris Kindred, whose hopes ended prematurely in a fall [1]. Twelve of the twenty-three starters failed to reach the finish line, underscoring the perilous nature of the event [2]. De Langen established an early benchmark that held firm for much of the competition, demonstrating both speed and remarkable control under intense pressure [2]. His performance stood out in the chaotic field.
historic medal for netherlands and de langen
This silver medal marks the Netherlands’ first podium finish at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games [1]. For the 27-year-old from Arnhem, it is his third career Paralympic medal, adding to the slalom silver and super-combined bronze he achieved at the Beijing 2022 Games [2]. The achievement provides a crucial morale boost for the Dutch delegation [1]. De Langen credited the advanced design of his sled, developed with engineers from TU Delft, for contributing to his competitive edge [2].
road ahead for the dutch skiing team
Teammate Jeroen Kampschreur, considered a top medal hopeful, crashed midway through his descent and reported neck and upper back pain afterward [2]. Another Dutch competitor, debutant Thijn Speksnijder, finished ninth [2]. The results mean De Langen carries the nation’s primary medal hopes forward. He remains in contention across four additional events: the Super-G, super combined, giant slalom, and slalom [2]. His next race is scheduled later this week, where he aims to improve upon his silver.
russia returns to podium after extended absence
Russian para-alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won a bronze medal in the women’s standing downhill event, marking Russia’s first appearance on the Paralympic medal table since 2014 [5]. This return occurred despite controversy surrounding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their own flag, a decision opposed by several nations including the Netherlands [1]. Fellow Russian Aleksei Bugaev also secured a bronze medal in the men’s standing category on the same day [5]. The issue sparked criticism from Ukrainian athletes regarding the International Paralympic Committee’s stance [5].