Adicoff victories create Winter Paralympic history

With two golds from two events, Jake Adicoff is halfway towards his target of four titles from the Milan-Cortina Games.

But the American cross-country skier has already made history as the first out gay man to be crowned an individual winter Paralympic champion.

Competing at his fourth Paralympics at Milan-Cortina, he triumphed in the men’s sprint classic on Tuesday, a win he said he wanted “really bad”, and just 24 hours later dominated the 10km classic interval start, finishing over a minute and three-quarters ahead of his nearest rival.

Adicott bowed dramatically as he crossed the line and again in the medal presentation.

The 30-year-old, who has no vision in his right eye and limited vision in his left after contracting chicken pox in the womb, is one of a small number of out gay athletes at the Milan-Cortina Games.

“The higher you get in sport, the less out people that you see,” Adicoff told Outsports.

Adicoff, from Sun Valley, Idaho, has been skiing since childhood – dabbling in both alpine and Nordic skiing before alpine was deemed too dangerous.

He competed against sighted rivals at junior level. After being selected for the US Para-Nordic team in 2013, he went to the 2014 Games in Sochi while still a high school student.

A first Paralympic medal came four years later in Pyeongchang when he finished second behind Canadian Paralympic legend Brian McKeever in the 10km classic event, but he retired after the Games before returning for the 2022 Beijing Games.

Despite high hopes of gold, Adicoff achieved two more individual silvers behind McKeever before anchoring the US team to relay gold for his first Paralympic title.

But it left Adicoff wanting more and with the retirement of 16-time Paralympic champion McKeever the division was wide open.

The American seized his chance to dominate, with World Cup and World Championship success ahead of the Games.

Unlike at Beijing, where supporters did not travel because of the pandemic, athletes at these Games have benefited from being able to be watched by friends and family and Adicoff’s entourage have been enjoying the experience.

Whether they are waving giant faces of Adicoff and his guides Reid Goble and Peter Wolter or wearing hats with his name on it, their presence has been felt at the Tesero Cross-Country Centre

Adicoff, who has another medal chance in Sunday’s 20km event and is also set to go in Saturday’s 4×2.5km mixed relay, may not be able to fully see them while he competes, but he has taken it all in and joined in the post-race celebrations.

“To have so many people that came out and supported us and are going to continue to support us throughout the week. It’s so nice having friends and family here,” he said.

“You see all those white hats up there? It’s so fun to have.