Russia has secured its second gold medal at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, won by vision-impaired skier Anastasia Bagiyan and her guide Sergei Sinyakin in Italy.
Russia achieved its second gold medal at the 2026 Winter Paralympics with vision-impaired skier Anastasia Bagiyan winning the women’s para cross-country sprint classic alongside her guide Sergei Sinyakin. The event took place at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Italy, where Bagiyan completed the race in three minutes and 16.1 seconds, outperforming competitors including Germany's Linn Kazmaier and China's Cong Jihong.
After her victory, Bagiyan expressed her joy, stating that she was pleased to have their national anthem played after a prolonged absence from international competitions. The remarks from Bagiyan and Sinyakin also hinted at their hopes for Russia's full reinstatement in future international events, especially in light of past bans due to the geopolitical climate and ongoing conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.
This win follows Russia's first gold at the Games, snagged by skier Varvara Voronchikhina in the women’s para Alpine standing Super-G. Currently, six Russian athletes, alongside four from Belarus, are competing under their national flags, highlighting a complex situation regarding their participation amidst ongoing global tensions.
