Paralympian and bonafide Australian sporting legend, Michael Milton, has brought a familiar and formidable ally back into his racing camp as he pursues what could be his last chance to qualify to race speed events at the 2026 Paralympic Games in March.
The Australian skiing icon is training and racing in Winter Park, Colorado, ahead of the crucial Super-G race on Tuesday (around 4am Wednesday AEST). Two good runs then should make him eligible to race all three speed disciplines at the Games: Downhill, Super G and Downhill Combined.
Milton, 52, has already met the selection criteria in Slalom and Giant Slalom, the technical events, but to fulfil his ambitious goal of qualifying for all five alpine events at his sixth winter Paralympics, he needs strong results in the speed races.
To give himself the best possible shot, Milton reached out to Steve Graham, the coach who helped build him to become one of the most successful para-alpine racers in history. The pair arrived in Winter Park a few days ago to work on speed training and prepare for the races.
The two have a long and storied history together. When Milton was just 19 years old and showing promise as a determined young skier, Graham—then coaching the Australian junior ski team—made room for him in training sessions despite limited resources. Over time, the relationship deepened, and Graham became Milton’s primary coach for much of his competitive career, often for little or even no pay. Their formidable partnership produced six Paralympic gold medals for Milton in the LW2 class (skiers with one leg) and helped him dominate the alpine circuit for years.
Graham’s influence on Australian para skiing extended beyond just Milton. He went on to serve as head coach of the Australian winter team at multiple Paralympic Games—including Sochi—guiding other champions such as Cameron Rahles-Rahbula and Toby Kane. Since his retirement from high-performance coaching, no one-legged male skier from any nation has stood on the podium at a Paralympic Games in the men’s standing class—a testament to their understanding of the unique requirements of elite skiing on one leg and one ski.
“We know what works. We know how to push for performance without losing focus or confidence.”
For Milton, the reunion with Graham is more than a technical partnership; it’s a return to the foundation of his sporting identity. After announcing his comeback in 2025, 20 years after his last winter Paralympic Games, Milton has battled setbacks including injury, missed races thanks to issues with insurance and race cancellations. He won the Giant Slalom at the Australian Para Alpine National Championships and qualified for Slalom at the Lichtenstein Championships to secure his technical event qualifications, but the speed events remain unfinished business.
“Having Steve here gives me confidence and the ability to recreate the training environment that was a key component to my success throughout my career. I couldn’t replicate this with another coach or on my own,” Milton said. “We know what works. We know how to push for performance without losing focus or confidence.”
As snow guns roar and the Winter Park slopes shape up for competition, the eyes of the para-alpine community will be on this reunited team on 20 January—hoping to see history continue.