HeadlinesBriefing favicon HeadlinesBriefing.com

Aigner Siblings Dominate Winter Paralympics Music

BBC Sport •
×

The Aigner siblings are making headlines at the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, combining athletic excellence with musical talent. Johannes and Veronika Aigner have already won four gold medals, one silver, and one bronze between them in Para-alpine skiing events, while also entertaining fellow athletes with impromptu concerts in the Paralympic Village.

This Austrian family brings a unique flair to the Games, reminiscent of the Von Trapp family from *The Sound of Music*. Veronika, 23, plays guitar while her 20-year-old brother Johannes plays accordion or harmonica. Their guides join in too - Nico Haberl also plays guitar, and Lilly Sammer provides vocals. The family has brought their instruments to previous World Championships and World Cups.

The Aigners' success runs deeper than these Games. Veronika and Johannes, along with their twin sister Barbara, all have congenital cataracts causing cloudy vision. In Beijing four years ago, the three siblings won nine medals together. Had they competed as a nation, they would have finished eighth in the medal table, surpassing Norway, Japan, and Italy.