Three gold medals with the USA, now hosting with Italy

Nikko Landeros was born on April 28, 1989, in San Francisco. His father, Jairos, is from Mexico, and his mother, Laura, is from Italy. She was born in Milan, where her son will represent her home country at the Paralympics starting Saturday. When Nikko Landeros was 17 years old, a terrible accident changed his life in an instant.

As a high school senior in his penultimate year, Landeros and his best friend Tyler Carron were changing a tire on their car on their way home from a school dance when they were struck by a vehicle. As a result of the accident, both Landeros and Carron had to have their legs amputated. Landeros, who had played ice hockey almost his entire life, encouraged Carron to try sledge hockey, and the two were soon teammates again. Landeros made the U.S. national sledge hockey team in 2009, and Carron followed suit a year later.

Top scorer at the World Championships in Astana Landeros, a two-time World Champion with the USA, showcased his exceptional talent last September at the Division I Group B World Championship in Astana, playing for Italy. With 24 goals and six assists in five games, the Italian-American, who was named the tournament's best defender and top scorer, played a major role in the Azzurri's return to the top division.

Nikko Landeros in the USA kit. © OIS/IOC / THOMAS LOVELOCK

Saturday's game, which has been completely sold out for days and will be watched by nearly 12.000 spectators, will inevitably be different for Landeros. After all, he played for the USA for a long time and knows every player on the team: "For me, the USA is currently an opponent like any other. I'm ready to give it my all. I'm a defenseman who likes to get involved in the offense and score points, but I believe that against the USA we primarily need to put on a strong defensive performance."

The goal is to reach the semi-finals. Italy and the USA last faced each other on October 21, 2025, in Ostrava. The US team won 9-2 on that occasion. After today's opening match in Group A, Italy's national coach Mirko Bianchi's team will play China on Monday and Germany on Tuesday (both matches start at 10:05 AM). The top two teams from the group stage will then compete in the semifinals, while the other two teams will play for fifth through eighth place. Group B consists of Canada, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Slovakia. "I want to do my best for my mother and for my whole Italian family." Nikko Landeros For Landeros, whose role models are ice hockey players Joe Sakic, Matt Duchene, and Patrick Roy, the Paralympics are practically a home game, as his mother comes from the Lombard metropolis: “That’s a very important aspect. I want to do my best and perform well for my mother and my whole Italian family. I also feel a special motivation for my grandfather, who unfortunately won’t be here.”

The robust defenseman is a real asset to the home team due to his skill and vast experience. "I believe I can be particularly useful verbally. During games on the ice, I shout a lot to motivate everyone. I also give advice and encourage my teammates. That's just how I am. Over time, I've learned to control myself, but I've always been like that," Landeros admits.

Great progress has been made According to the three-time Paralympic champion, the "Azzurri" have made great progress in recent months: "Compared to the start of the season, we're almost a different team. We've worked very hard and improved significantly. Everyone is ready to make sacrifices and give their best. Whether it's enough for a medal in the end isn't important right now. I'd be happy to see a group around me that's ready to fight for every puck in every game and push themselves beyond their limits. Then we'll see if we have something to celebrate."

tennis

hockey

Winter sports

football

Italian

International leagues

International

Learn More

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Favorites

Three gold medals with the USA, now hosting with Italy

Comments (0)