Mexico's lone Paralympian Arly Velázquez chases history at Milan-Cortina 2026
The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, an epic event celebrating its 50th anniversary, will commence on 6 March. Among the athletes competing is Arly Velázquez, Mexico's sole representative and the country's most experienced Winter Paralympian. The opening ceremony will take place in Verona's historic Arena, now equipped with accessibility features for spectators and participants.
Velázquez, now 37, grew up in Cancún with a passion for sports. At 12, he became a national mountain biking champion. But a spinal cord injury later left him unable to walk, shifting his focus to adaptive sports.
At 15, he took up wheelchair disciplines, including shot put, basketball, javelin, and swimming. His path changed after watching Mexican Paralympian Armando Ruiz compete in Canada. Inspired, Velázquez switched to para alpine skiing and made his Winter Paralympics debut at Vancouver 2010.
His best result came in Sochi 2014, where he finished 11th in the super-G. A subsequent crash forced him to pause competition for two years. Now, he returns to the Games as Mexico's only athlete, set to race in downhill, super-G, and giant slalom in the LW10-1 sitting category.
The opening ceremony will unfold in Verona's 2,000-year-old Arena, a UNESCO-listed site. Temporary ramps and accessible restrooms have been installed to ensure inclusivity for all attendees.
Velázquez will be Mexico's lone competitor in Milan-Cortina, a country that has yet to win a Winter Paralympics medal. Despite 328 medals, including 107 golds, in the Summer Games, Mexico's winter record remains unbroken. The Games will run from 6 to 15 March, with Velázquez aiming to improve on his past performances.
