‘More Aggression Tomorrow’: Super Tough Super-G Tests Milton On Return
Published Wed 11 Mar 2026
Courtesy Australian Paralympic Team
The emotional toll of battling injury, his family’s travel challenges and the adrenaline hit of taking on one of world skiing’s most difficult mountains combined to overcome Michael Milton after the legendary Para alpine skier made his unlikely return to Paralympic competition a remarkable 20 years since he had initially retired.
Milton finished 23rd in a world-class field of 33 in the men’s super-G standing at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Monday; nearly a quarter of the start list didn’t make it down the mountain.
“One of the things you come back for is the emotion, it’s the pressure, it’s the feeling of standing in the start sh…… in your pants because you’re scared of what you’re about ski down. And then having the mental side of things too, to be able to overcome that,” Milton said, his bottom lip quivering, after the race.
“You get 45 minutes to look at the track and you’re trying to estimate what sort of speed you’re going to come in and what this turn’s going to be like and what this jump’s going to be like. You never really know.
“There’s a lot in this hill. It’s left and right and rolls and jumps and shadow and light… There’s a lot there to learn and I’m looking forward to skiing better tomorrow.”
It’s been a hard road to the Games for Milton, who announced his surprise comeback last October. Less than one month ago, in Colorado, he slipped and landed heavily on the stump of his left leg, causing a small fracture in the neck of the femur bone. Then, his family, including wife Penni and children Ashley and Angus, were trapped in Doha, Qatar for nearly a week after flights were cancelled due to conflict in the region.
“There’s lots of challenges there,” he said. “Some of the bigger ones I can’t really talk about too much. In the end, when you stand in the start gate, you’re on your own.
“Given where I’ve come from over the last month, with a surgery and issues … yeah super tough day.”
Milton described his skiing as “a bit pathetic”. However, he added that it was mostly about getting ready for upcoming disciplines later in the program.
“Just getting a race under my belt, skiing kind of injured and just overcoming all of that,” he said. “I’m an experienced athlete and I can lean on that, but I’m also a bit rusty. I haven’t done this in a long time.”
Milton was visibly affected after his run.
“I think my emotions are ruling me. I tried to control them all morning. They certainly bubbled up, but you can only hold on for so long, can’t you? Now I’ve finished the run and yeah…
“Although I’ve done a lot of scary stuff, skiing super fast and racing and stuff, I’m not the sort of person who’s not scared. I’m the sort of person who usually – maybe less so today – has the mental discipline to kind of control that fear. Certainly, I was better at that 20 years ago than I am now, at least on the evidence so far today. So that’s different.
“I don’t have the same confidence, particularly coming back from injury. It’s not like I’m coming in here with great preparation or anything like that.”
Nevertheless, he added: “It’s about taking something from today, get a little bit angry at skiing like I did and come out with a bit more confidence and certainly some more aggression tomorrow.”
Fellow Australian Josh Hanlon didn’t fare any better, competing in the super-G sitting, crashing for the second time in two days in the speed events.
Hanlon, who’s best disciplines are the technical events, said he “maybe lent in a touch and then hit my bucket on the snow and slid out”.
“I usually do finish. I haven’t DNF’d a whole heap, so it is frustrating to go two for two,” he said. “But I think it is just that little mindset shift in being a little bit more aggressive.
“Maybe I’ll reevaluate a little bit, but I think I still need to go for it. What’s the point in coming last? May as well go out and try and win it.”
Day 4 on the program is the alpine combined event, which includes super-G and slalom.
