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Para alpine snowboarding is settled by the best of margins, however falling on the unsuitable aspect of them can really feel notably merciless.
Such was the case for Neil Simpson who needed to accept a second agonising fourth-place end at Milano Cortina 2026 as he didn’t defend his super-G VI Paralympic title.
The 23-year-old visually impaired para alpine skier had taken a shock gold within the occasion 4 years in the past however completed 1.1 seconds off the rostrum in Italy.
It put him simply 2.4s away from the title he had earned at Beijing 2022, with the highest three separated by 1.3s, in an occasion that punishes even the smallest of errors.
“There was some good snowboarding so I’m fairly happy with a few of that snowboarding. Sadly, a few errors, nevertheless it’s one thing to work on,” stated Simpson.
“The part the place there are a bit of extra airtime and jumps, I didn’t fairly have the road there. That simply meant I didn’t have fairly the velocity coming over the flat.
“We’ll debrief it tonight after which go once more tomorrow however I’m fairly happy with among the snowboarding.”
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It marked the primary time Simpson had competed alongside information Rob Poth at a Paralympic Video games. The Scot had gained gold within the occasion alongside his brother Andrew Simpson in China, and retained his companies for his opening downhill occasion, with Poth guiding him for the extra technical occasions.
However regardless of the change in information, it was one other fourth-place end to the identical prime three as Austrian Johannes Aigner claimed a second gold, with the rostrum finishers seeming to have Simpson’s measure to this point.
“I gave it my greatest shot, sadly it wasn’t to be, nevertheless it’s one thing that we have to use to study for tomorrow after which clearly going into the large slalom and slalom after that,” he added.
It’s a acquainted pragmatism from Simpson, who can take confidence from his proximity to the trio presently within the medals as he gears up for 3 extra medal alternatives on the Video games.
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For Menna Fitzpatrick, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament harm in December 2025, simply attending to the beginning gate could have felt like a triumph in itself.
The visually impaired skier is essentially the most embellished British athlete in Winter Paralympic historical past however has been tormented by harm over a irritating two-year lead as much as her third Video games.
The ACL concern represented simply one other merciless blow. Opting in opposition to surgical procedure, it dominated the Macclesfield-born skier out of World Cups all through January and left her racing in opposition to time to construct energy round her knee to compete at Milano Cortina.
However Fitzpatrick made it again alongside information Katie Visitor to complete sixth within the super-G, in a time of 1:25.52, as she builds into the Video games.
“It’s so beautiful to be out right here lastly after the final two seasons of being injured. However I had a number of enjoyable, and I’ve received nice confidence within the knee itself,” she stated.
“Simply the ladies are snowboarding actually, very well they usually’re actually pushing the competitors, however we’ll slowly get nearer and nearer. Fingers crossed.”
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For a lot of, an ACL tear would sign the tip of hopes of a Paralympic tilt, however simply as Lindsey Vonn had taken to the slopes following her rupture forward of the Olympics, Fitzpatrick by no means noticed her Video games unsure.
“The medical staff had been actually assured, they know me they usually know my persona of working actually, actually arduous within the robust occasions,” she stated. “I don’t assume it was a lot of a query. That they had each religion in me that I might have the ability to get again.”
Not like Vonn, Fitzpatrick made it to the underside in a greater than respectable sixth that put her 5.83s off the rostrum locations.
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However with three extra occasions forward of her and a race beneath her belt, Fitzpatrick is assured she will construct type and can goal including to her six-strong medal complete in Italy.
“Now that I’ve performed one, I’m far more excited and assured for the subsequent races,” stated the 27-year-old.
“It was undoubtedly a step up from the downhill coaching runs. I managed to let the skis run a bit extra which is a step in the correct route for positive. However I used to be far more assured and simply actually loved this course.”
Uncover Each Physique Strikes powered by Toyota, ParalympicsGB’s inclusive exercise finder. Empowering disabled individuals to seek out methods to develop into extra lively domestically or at house and welcoming suppliers to advertise extra inclusive periods throughout the UK. Discover out extra at everybodymoves.org.uk.
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