6 days ago
5
Cortina: Four-time Paralympian Ben Tudhope has claimed his first Paralympic silver medal and Australia’s first medal at the 2026 Milano Cortina Paralympic Games.
Tudhope, 26, won silver in the men’s snowboard cross SB-LL2 category after dislocating his shoulder during the quarter-final earlier in the day. It’s his second Paralympic medal after winning bronze in this event at the 2022 Beijing Games where he was Australia’s sole medallist.
Silver medallist Ben Tudhope, of Australia, gold medallist Emanuel Perathoner of Italy and bronze medallist Lee Jehyuk of South Korea, pose with their medals after the men’s snowboard cross SB-LL2.Credit: AP
“I can’t really describe it,” he said after the race. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It was a crazy race that first heat, it just shows I scraped in to get through to the semi-finals and then the final.”
“My shoulder actually popped out in that first heat pulling out of the start gate… To get this medal is absolutely insane and the medical team up top handled me so well and so we decided I can keep on going after that injury.”
Between the quarter and semi-final races, Tudhope was treated by team doctors at the top of the slope where his shoulder was heavily strapped for the rest of racing.
“From that, I was kind of in focus mode the whole time. I’m normally chill and pretty friendly, pretty happy… You probably saw on camera, I wasn’t smiley Ben. Now I am.”
“To be able to get it done and keep Australian Winter Paralympic legacy going on for I think a medal at every single Games since 1992. Proud to be an Aussie.”
Ben Tudhope’s shoulder was heavily strapped after he dislocated it during the first heat on Saturday. Credit: Getty Images
Italy’s Emanuel Perathoner won gold in the event – his first at a Paralympic Games. The 39-year-old is a former Olympic snowboarder and won bronze at the 2019 snowboard cross World Championships. He was classified for the Paralympics after an accident during training in 2021 resulted in a total knee replacement.
“He’s kind of the man,” Tudhope said. “He’s been on the tour for four years and he’s got a rich history in snowboarding before this... Everyone is now more competitive for him being here so he’s good for the sport.”
Tudhope competes again later in the week in the men’s banked slalom.
“I’ve got a lot of friends and family here so I’ll definitely celebrate with them. I don’t know if I’ll be on the beers,” he said.
Smiles after the medal ceremony.Credit: Getty Images for IPC
Earlier in the day, his teammate and two-time summer Paralympic gold medallist, Amanda Reid, was transported to hospital after a crash left her face down in the snow and stretchered off the course. Reid will receive scans on her lower back. It was her second crash on the course in three days.
Australia’s two-other athletes in the snowboard cross, Sean Pollard and Aaron McCarthy, placed ninth and 12th respectively.
Pollard’s goal had been to make the top 10: “The category is pretty tough, so I’m versing people just missing one hand, and I’m a double amputee. So yeah, fastest no-handed man on the planet.”
This masthead has travelled to Cortina as a guest of Paralympics Australia
The Winter Paralympic Games is broadcast on the Nine Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.
Most Viewed in Sport
Loading
