The Countdown is On

Canada's 2026 Paralympic Winter Games - Cross Country & Biathlon Team - PC: n_mah@media

After the Paralympic Team announcement on January 30^th, the official journey towards the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games began. A fifth Paralympic Winter Games for me, but my first time experiencing a more formal announcement. I’m not always a fan of ceremony; my preference would be to be outside in the woods, training, getting myself ready for my best performances, pushing my limits and exploring curiosities that may lead to newfound success. While at the announcement, I found some delight in stepping back and taking in the moments when fellow teammates, especially those who were first-time members, were announced as members of the Paralympic Team. The nerves, the excitement. There is a shared experience in those moments, and it felt special to reflect on and cherish them, not only for them but also for myself. As I shared at the event itself, each Games is unique not only in the cultural influence of the host city(ies) but also in how you, the athlete, experience the Games, be that through expectations or experience. As you mature as an athlete, each Games holds a varying context.

I knew nothing going into my first Games in Vancouver. A month before Vancouver 2010, I had earned my first podium finish in both Biathlon and Cross Country. My hope at the time was perhaps that the home-snow magic could allow me to repeat such a feat at my first Games. It didn’t happen, far from it. I can say now that I was naïve to the level that the best athletes push themselves when it comes to the Games. The veterans plan and put everything into performance at Games, willing to sacrifice in the lead-up to any Games for that one opportunity to excel. I didn’t have the capacity for that, yet, physically or mentally. It was flying home from those Games when I knew and declared to myself that I wanted to do this. I better understood what it might take to become one of the top athletes, and I had the spark of motivation to pursue that goal and dream.

In my second Games, Sochi in 2014, I was a much different person and athlete. Over the four years that followed, I made huge improvements in my skiing and in my ability to perform, whether at World Cups or World Championships. I had learned to classic ski, as my classic skiing in Vancouver was not very good. I still recall the intensity of my final days in Passo Lavazè before going to Sochi; I had never felt like that before. The feeling of being at peak fitness, and at the top of my ability. To this day, I still compare how I’m feeling to that memory. Unfortunately, I lost the fine balance of health that comes with being in peak form and fought to get healthy and compete throughout the Sochi Games. I did earn my first Paralympic medals, but I left those Games always wondering and hungry for so much more that I believed I was capable of.

At my third Games, 2018 in PyeongChang, I had evolved as an athlete and had found myself challenging my ability to perform on demand. All along, the four years from Sochi to PyeongChang, I was improving my fitness and technique. I had learned how to control myself and the controllable aspects around me to provide the best opportunities to succeed. So many aspects of who I was and had become came together in Korea, all of which resulted in an outstanding week, earning six medals, one from each of the six competitions I started.

The success of PyeongChang challenged how I needed to approach the next Games in Beijing. A Games that was so different on its own. Held during a global pandemic, the Games differed in every aspect. Over the four years leading up to Beijing, I had to evolve my thinking about what defined success. During the pandemic, I had to rethink and reimagine my competitive opportunities, as there were limited races at times. I enjoyed shaping a new perspective on what I considered competitions, and it allowed me to push myself much harder and hold myself to a much higher standard in my intensities, or time trials. It directed my focus in new ways and opened new opportunities to learn and perform. As Beijing concluded, I succeeded, but I also left feeling it wasn’t my best. There was more I wanted from those Games, and more I wanted to achieve. I believed I was capable of more, and that there were lessons I learned I couldn’t wait to apply and see where it might take me. There was a sense of wonder and one of hunger.

That brings us to today, on the eve of my next Games, Milano-Cortina 2026. The fifth opportunity I’ve earned to represent Canada on the largest sporting stage. Over the past four years, I have shown incredible consistency in performance in Biathlon and Cross Country. I have found comfort and confidence in my routines for both training and competition. Alongside the established routines, there has been greater curiosity to explore new ideas and concepts. Trial innovative approaches within training to see if newer ideas might lead to greater performances. I’ve enjoyed the analytical thinking and exploration. As we approach these Games, the lessons learned from that exploration are coming together, and soon I will be able to test them in the ultimate trial of the Paralympic Winter Games. That is perhaps what I most look forward to throughout March: accepting and overcoming the challenges to perform to the best of my ability at the Games. The curiosity about how that performance looks and what lessons from the past or new ideas I can apply to get the most out of myself.

Preparation for the Games started long ago, for some aspects four years ago, others much closer to the Games. The final preparation block was divided into three sections. First, I spent the good part of two weeks between Canmore and Kananaskis Country, in pleasant but surprisingly warm conditions. I was prepared for the more typical frigid temperatures, thinking more like -20 °C or colder, compared to what we got, which was just above zero. The next block was based in Canmore. It began with some rest, then transitioned into early intensities and sharpening before heading to Europe. The first intensity was a battle against the elements, as the temperature dropped significantly. Wind and fresh snow made for a demanding first intensity. A day that lent itself well to focusing on the motivation of why and how I want to achieve my goals.  

The final block of the prep is where I’m currently at, in Obertilliach, Austria—a new venue for me but a beautiful mountainous valley, in sight of the border with Italy. The sun has been shining each day, with gently rolling trails and, if you so choose, some punishing race trails for those ‘extra’ days. This will be somewhere I hope to come back to in the future. Only a few days before I head to Italy and move into the Paralympic village, and less than a week before the Opening Ceremonies in Verona. Then comes the day that I have had circled on my calendar for the past four years – March 7, 2026—the first race day of the Games.

So, we are here on the eve of the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games hosted in Milano-Cortina. Let the fun begin!

Mark

Below you can find my planned schedule: *all times subject to changes

Date		Event	Italy Time	Atlantic Time	Mountain Time
March 7	Biathlon	Sprint – 7.5km	13:10	8:10	5:10
March 8	Biathlon	Individual – 12.5km	13:10	8:10	5:10
March 10	Cross Country	Sprint Classic	12:15	7:15	4:15
March 11	Cross Country	10km Classic	11:35	6:35	3:15
March 13	Biathlon	Sprint Pursuit	13:45	8:45	5:45
March 14	Cross Country	Relay	10:00	5:00	2:00
March 15	Cross Country	20km Free	10:30	5:30	2:30