Paralympic Roundup: McKeever wins 14th gold in busy Day 3 for Canada

ZHANGJIAKOU, China — Canada added two gold medals and a bronze in cross-country skiing at the Beijing Paralympics on Sunday.

Brian McKeever easily defended his title in the men’s 20-kilometre cross-country vision-impaired race. It was the 14th gold medal and 18th medal overall in the Paralympics for the 42-year-old from Calgary.

McKeever, in his sixth and final Paralympics, was the three-time defending champion in his event and a clear favourite heading into the long-distance race.

He crossed the finish line in 55 minutes and 36.7 seconds, more than three minutes ahead of Jake Adicoff of the United States in second. Zebastian Modin of Sweden took home the bronze.

Russell Kennedy and Graham Nishikawa were McKeever’s guides.

The last time McKeever failed to top the podium in the 20km cross-country event was in 2006 when he won silver.

Pair of Canadians medal in women’s 15km standing race

In the women’s 15km race, Natalie Wilkie of Canmore, Alta., crossed the finish line in 48:04.8 to win the gold medal, nearly a minute ahead of second-place finisher Sydney Peterson of the U.S.

Brittany Hudak, also of Canmore, took home the bronze.

It was the second Paralympic gold medal for the 21-year-old Wilkie, who captured gold in the 7.5km race in Pyeongchang in 2018.

Twenty-eight seconds behind Peterson was the 28-year-old Hudak, who won bronze in biathlon in 2018.

Turner, DeJong win Canada’s first-ever Paralympic medals in snowboarding

Tyler Turner and Lisa DeJong captured Canada’s first-ever medals in snowboarding at the Paralympic Winter Games.

Turner from Campbell River, B.C., won gold in the men’s snowboard cross Monday at the Beijing Paralympics.

The victory came just minutes after DeJong, from Sherwood Park, Alta., won silver in the women’s snowboard cross.

The 33-year-old Turner led from the very beginning of the big final. He built a commanding lead and would not be caught.

American Mike Schultz was second and Wu Zhongwei of China won bronze.

A little earlier, DeJong won Canada’s first para-snowboard medal with a second-place finish in the women’s big final.

DeJong built a comfortable lead on the third and fourth-place racers but could not close the gap on gold-medal winner Cecile Hernandez of France.

Sandrine Hamel of Saint-Sauveur, Que., was fourth in the small final to finish eighth overall.

Paralympic Roundup: McKeever wins 14th gold in busy Day 3 for Canada
Source: Healthy Lifestyle