BUFFALO, NY – Declan Farmer, a Tampa native and newlywed, has his eyes set on a fourth gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Milan.

When he got married to his wife, Madison, earlier this year, the MVP sled hockey player had Team USA by his side.

“I just can’t imagine giving up the social part of it and leaving these group of guys,” said Farmer.

Farmer’s Paralympic journey started as a child in Tampa Bay.

His parents sought out a competitive outlet for their little boy, a gifted athlete who was born without legs.

Farmer says he played soccer and wrestled.

“It was frustrating because I wanted to be the best at what I was doing. I think my parents saw that and they found sled hockey for me when I was 8 years old,” said Farmer.

To Farmer, what makes sled hockey different is the diversity of the athletes, who all share a unique perspective.

“Having an adaptive sport to play means so much to people whether they were born with a disability like me or they’re in a traumatic moment in their life and they need to find some sense of camaraderie,” he said.

It wasn’t long before Farmer hit the big time, making the U.S. National Sled Hockey team at 14 years old.

He has since become the first U.S. sled hockey player to score over 200 career goals and won three Paralympic gold medals.

With a gold medal victory at the 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships in Buffalo, NY in May, Team USA is heading to Milan and a fourth chance at gold for Farmer.

“This is a new group that’s going into Milan. There’s guys that have not won a gold medal before and we are really just focused on winning this next one,” he said.

In sled hockey, the big event tends to come to two teams: USA and Canada.

Farmer would like to see that change through efforts to grow the adaptive sport in other countries, including a joint training camp in the Czech Republic after Beijing.

“It would be great if there are five or six countries that are challenging for a gold medal ten years down the line. I would sign up for that every day of the week,” said Farmer.

But for this year, the focus is on Milan and shooting for another gold.

BUFFALO, NY – Declan Farmer, a Tampa native and newlywed, has his eyes set on a fourth gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Milan.

When he got married to his wife, Madison, earlier this year, the MVP sled hockey player had Team USA by his side.

“I just can’t imagine giving up the social part of it and leaving these group of guys,” said Farmer.

Farmer’s Paralympic journey started as a child in Tampa Bay.

His parents sought out a competitive outlet for their little boy, a gifted athlete who was born without legs.

Farmer says he played soccer and wrestled.

“It was frustrating because I wanted to be the best at what I was doing. I think my parents saw that and they found sled hockey for me when I was 8 years old,” said Farmer.

To Farmer, what makes sled hockey different is the diversity of the athletes, who all share a unique perspective.

“Having an adaptive sport to play means so much to people whether they were born with a disability like me or they’re in a traumatic moment in their life and they need to find some sense of camaraderie,” he said.

It wasn’t long before Farmer hit the big time, making the U.S. National Sled Hockey team at 14 years old.

He has since become the first U.S. sled hockey player to score over 200 career goals and won three Paralympic gold medals.

With a gold medal victory at the 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships in Buffalo, NY in May, Team USA is heading to Milan and a fourth chance at gold for Farmer.

“This is a new group that’s going into Milan. There’s guys that have not won a gold medal before and we are really just focused on winning this next one,” he said.

In sled hockey, the big event tends to come to two teams: USA and Canada.

Farmer would like to see that change through efforts to grow the adaptive sport in other countries, including a joint training camp in the Czech Republic after Beijing.

“It would be great if there are five or six countries that are challenging for a gold medal ten years down the line. I would sign up for that every day of the week,” said Farmer.

But for this year, the focus is on Milan and shooting for another gold.