Cristian Ribera wins Brazil first ever Winter Paralympic medal

On 10 March 2026, Brazilian Para cross-country skier Cristian Westemaier Ribera made history at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, winning the silver medal in the men's sprint sitting event. It was the first medal of any colour that Brazil had ever won at a Paralympic Winter Games, a remarkable feat for a nation with virtually no snow and almost no winter sports infrastructure.

The race was decided by the narrowest of margins. Ribera crossed the line just 0.7 seconds behind China's Zixu Liu, who took gold, with Kazakhstan's Yerbol Khamitov earning bronze. Overcome with emotion at the finish, Ribera said he was crying because his dream had come true. "My dream and my family's," he added.

“It was the first medal of any colour that Brazil had ever won at a Paralympic Winter Games, a remarkable feat for a nation with virtually no snow and almost no winter sports infrastructure.”

Ribera's journey to that podium spans most of his life. Born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a condition that causes stiff and bent joints, he underwent more than twenty surgeries during childhood. He discovered Para cross-country skiing in 2015 through a development project run by the Brazilian Snow Sports Federation with support from the International Paralympic Committee. He made his Paralympic debut at PyeongChang 2018 as a teenager and competed again at Beijing 2022 before breaking through at age 23.

His medal carries meaning far beyond the result. For a country where snow is a rarity, the achievement shows what determined athletes can accomplish with the right support, training pathways and belief. Ribera's success offers a powerful example to young Brazilians with disabilities, proving that geography need not define ambition, and that a dream pursued patiently over many years can finally arrive on the world stage.