Slovakia’s Wheelchair Curling Team Advances at the 2026 Winter Paralympics
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – The Slovak wheelchair curling team is making a strong showing at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, currently holding a record of three wins and three losses after six matches. The team secured a decisive 8-3 victory over the United States on Tuesday evening, bolstering their position in the standings.
Recent Performance and Key Players
Following the win against the USA, Slovakia is currently in fifth place, remaining competitive for promotion. The team’s roster includes Radoslav Ďuriš, Monika Kunkelová, Peter Zaťko, Adrián Ďurček and Karol Šandl.
According to coach Daniela Matulová, a strategic roster change proved pivotal in the victory against the Americans. “The roster change really helped us. The Americans pushed us at one point, but our modern ‘four’ held us back significantly. It was good. We are finally where we wanted to be,” she stated via TASR.
Tournament Overview
Slovakia began the tournament with a win against Great Britain, followed by a loss to Latvia and a subsequent victory over Norway. They then faced setbacks against the host nation, Italy, and the Republic of Korea on Monday.
Upcoming Matches
The Slovak team will continue their Paralympic journey with matches against Sweden on Wednesday morning and China on Wednesday evening.
Team Composition and Preparation
The team underwent extensive preparation before the games, including four 20-minute training sessions on the Olympic Stadium ice in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Players Radoslav Ďuriš, Monika Kunkelová, Peter Zaťko, Adrián Ďurček, and Karol Šandl practiced various tactical and gameplay scenarios. Peter Zaťko noted the ice conditions were as expected, stating via Denník Sport, “The hall is beautiful, breathes history and is very charming. The ice is as we expected.”
Paralympic History
Radoslav Ďuriš, born August 10, 1974, in Ilava, is a veteran of the Paralympic Games, having participated in 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. At the 2022 Winter Paralympics, the Slovak team finished fourth. According to Wikipedia, Ďuriš curls out of the Wheelchair Curling Club in Dubnica nad Váhom.