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Canada's Brian McKeever, Natalie Wilkie speed to golds in sprint, Collin Cameron hustles to bronze in Beijing

Canada’s Brian McKeever and Natalie Wilkie are lucky they didn’t get speeding tickets on Day 5 in Beijing.

BEIJING – Canada’s Brian McKeever and Natalie Wilkie are lucky they didn’t get speeding tickets on Day 5 in Beijing.

The Para cross-country sprint races got underway on Wednesday morning (March 9) at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games with McKeever and Wilkie winning gold for Canada, and Collin Cameron bringing home bronze.

Taking place at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre, the quick freestyle races are perhaps the most exciting Para Nordic Ski event of the Games.

In women’s standing sprint, the 21-year-old Wilkie went head-to-head in the final 100 metres with world champion Vilde Nilsen. However, it was the Canuck turning on the nitro and pulling ahead of the Norweigan in the final metres to claim her second gold medal of these Games.

Wilkie crossed the line at 4:05.1, and Nilsen finished at 4:08.1. USA’s Sydney Peterson took bronze.

RELATED: Natalie Wilkie: Bow Valley's Beijing Bound Athletes

McKeever and Kennedy have done it again in Beijing after punching the attack the men’s sprint vision impaired to take top spot.

The Canadians turned on the jets in the final stretch to hold off USA’s Jake Adicoff and guide Sam Wood to capture first place at a time of 3:19.5.

Zebastian Modin and guide Emil Joensson Haag of Sweden took bronze.

RELATED: Brian McKeever: Image of Greatness

In men’s sitting sprint, Cameron had a 16-second gap to make up, but just came up shy to win bronze at a time of 2:46.3.

Chinese skiers Zheng Peng (2:42.4) and Mao Zhongwu (2:44.9) finished first and second, respectively.

In women’s sitting, Canada’s Christina Picton finished sixth in the sprint final.

The Canuck crossed the line at 3:38.6.

China’s Yang Hongqiong won gold, USA’s Oksana Masters took silver, and China’s Li Panpan finished with bronze.

RELATED: Collin Cameron: Bow Valley's Beijing Bound Athletes

The Bow Valley contingent at the Paralympics has won nine medals after five days (five gold, four bronze).


Jordan Small

About the Author: Jordan Small

An award-winning reporter, Jordan Small has covered sports, the arts, and news in the Bow Valley since 2014. Originally from Barrie, Ont., Jordan has lived in Alberta since 2013.
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