Giuseppe Romele Wins Bronze in 20km Cross-Country at Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics

Italy secured its 15th medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games as Giuseppe Romele earned bronze in the men's 20 km sitting cross-country ski event. The result marks redemption for the Camuno Valley athlete, who finished fourth in the 10 km race just days earlier.

Why This Matters

• Career milestone: Romele's second Paralympic medal after Beijing 2022, establishing his credentials as a distance specialist.

• National tally: Italy's medal count now stands at 6 golds, 7 silvers, and 2 bronzes across alpine skiing, para-snowboard, and Nordic disciplines.

• Closing day highlight: The bronze came in the final Nordic event of the Games at Lago di Tesero in Val di Fiemme, a valley in the heart of the Dolomites.

Redemption in the Trentino Snow

Romele clocked 53:17.1 in the freestyle technique race, finishing behind Russian Ivan Golubkov (gold, 51:55.0) and Chinese athlete Mao Zhongwu (silver). The podium finish carried emotional weight after his fourth-place result in the 10 km classical, where he missed bronze by mere seconds.

"Today was a day I will probably remember for the rest of my life," Romele said immediately after the race. "The whole thing was much more complicated than I thought it would be." He described a psychological struggle through the middle laps, only lifting in the final circuit. "From the third lap onward, I kept thinking it had to come, and then in the last lap I broke free," he explained.

Competition Landscape

The podium mirrored the results from the earlier 10 km event, with Golubkov and Mao repeating their gold-silver sweep. The Russian established the fastest times in both sitting category endurance races, while Mao demonstrated consistency across both distances.

For Italy, the bronze represents the sole cross-country medal at these Games. The medal was earned on Italian snow in Val di Fiemme, a renowned venue for Nordic sports in the Dolomites, before a home crowd.

Romele's Next Steps

During his post-race comments, Romele mentioned his preference for longer race distances. "Let's hope that from next year they increase the races to 30 kilometers—maybe then I'll wake up," he said, indicating his belief that greater distances would suit his endurance profile. Historically, 30 km races were part of the Paralympic program, though modern formats have standardized around sprint, 10 km, 20 km, and relay events.

Italy's Home Games

The Milano Cortina Games marked a homecoming for Italian Paralympic sport, with the 15-medal haul representing a solid performance across multiple disciplines. The majority of Italy's hardware came from alpine skiing, with para-snowboard also contributing medals and the Nordic program delivering through Romele.

Cross-country events were held at the Stadio del Fondo di Tesero in Val di Fiemme, located in the Trentino region of northeastern Italy—part of the broader Dolomites area. The Camuno Valley, where Romele is from, sits in Lombardy, several hours west of the competition venues.

Competing at a home Paralympics brought distinct pressures. Romele acknowledged the psychological complexity of his race, noting that the mental hurdles were higher than anticipated. His ability to deliver despite recent disappointment confirms his standing among the world's elite distance racers in the sitting category. His Beijing 2022 bronze in the 10 km sitting had established his credentials as a medal contender; the Milano Cortina result reinforces that position.