Andrew Kurka
ALPINE SKIING
LW12-1
Paralympic medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
2026 outlook: A crash during training kept him off the Paralympic podium in 2022, and injuries sidelined him in two of the three racing seasons since then. Kurka returned to competition in December and has positioned himself as a 2026 medal threat in his signature event, the downhill.
Need to know:
• Three-time Paralympian
• Before his injury, Kurka was a six-time Alaska state champion in freestyle wrestling. He credits that competitive mindset with accelerating his return to elite sport.
Personal:
Age: 33
Hometown: Palmer, AKÂ
Disability: Spinal cord injury resulting in lower-limb paralysisÂ
Andrew Kurka
ALPINE SKIING
LW12-1
Paralympic medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
2026 outlook: A crash during training kept him off the Paralympic podium in 2022, and injuries sidelined him in two of the three racing seasons since then. Kurka returned to competition in December and has positioned himself as a 2026 medal threat in his signature event, the downhill.
Need to know:
• Three-time Paralympian
• Before his injury, Kurka was a six-time Alaska state champion in freestyle wrestling. He credits that competitive mindset with accelerating his return to elite sport.
Personal:
Age: 33
Hometown: Palmer, AKÂ
Disability: Spinal cord injury resulting in lower-limb paralysisÂ
