Winter Paralympics 2026: pair skating pairs Mina Fitzpatrick and Scott Mina will be UK flag bearers

Figure skating duo Mina Fitzpatrick and Scott Minagh will be Great Britain’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics on Friday.

Both will not attend the ceremony at the Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater in the city’s historic centre, where they will compete the next day.

But they will participate via a video sequence, alongside their British Paralympic team-mates, to be shown as part of the show.

Welsh alpine skier Fitzpatrick, who is visually impaired, is Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian with six medals.

The 27-year-old will compete in the Paralympics about three months after suffering a serious knee injury and just over a year after breaking her leg.

“I’m so excited, I still can’t believe I made it to Cortina, so that’s an extra cherry on top,” she said.

Scottish Nordic skier Minagh is set to compete in his third Paralympic Games after appearing at the 2018 and 2022 Games.

The 36-year-old lost both his legs in 2011 while serving with the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan.

He became the first Briton to win a medal at the Nordic World Ski Championships when he took silver in the 12.5 km individual biathlon in 2023.

“It’s wonderful. I try hard every day to represent my sport, myself and my country in the best way possible,” he said.

“I try to do that in my behavior and express that in my performance, so now to get a little bit of recognition — I’m a little speechless.”

The Games, which run until March 15, coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics.