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2010 Paraympic News | March 22, 2010
McKeever wins third gold of the Games
CTVOlympics.ca
March 22, 2010
Whistler, BC — Canada's Brian McKeever won the men's cross-country 1 km sprint event in the visually impaired category, claiming his third gold medal of the 2010 Paralympic Games.
McKeever, who has just three percent of his eyesight in one eye, claimed his first two gold medals at the 2010 Games - in the 10 km classic and 20 km freestyle.
McKeever made a calculated gamble in the final of the sprint event. Racing in rain and sticky snow conditions, they decided not to wax their skis and instead used pure strength to power their way to victory.
"The tracks were slowing down because they were getting wet," Brian McKeever said. "That was part of what made the decision.
"We had a good strategy. We had to make the decision and believe in it 100 per cent."
McKeever came into the Paralympics with an objective to win three gold.
Mission accomplished.
"That was the goal coming in," said the 30-year-old. "It was not one we wanted to put out to people. You can never predict what the other competitors would do.
"We had to put down our best races to do it. We tried to play to our strengths."
McKeever's victory Sunday at Whistler Olympic park, which he secured alongside his guide, brother Robin, marks Canada's 10th gold medal of the 2010 Games and is McKeever's ninth career Paralympic medal.
Russia's Nikolay Polukin took the silver medal - a finish that makes him the the first winter paralympian at these Games to win six medals. Polukin will go home with one gold medal, four silvers and a bronze.
Sweden's Zebastian Modin secured the bronze medal.
Fellow Canadian Alexei Novikov was 19th and did not advance to the semifinal.
Germany's Verena Bentele won the women's gold medal and joins Canada's Lauren Woolstencroft in winning five gold medals. Bentele is also the seventh paralympian to win five medals at these Games.
Russians Liubov Vasilyeva finished in second place and Mikhalina Lysova in third place.
Neither Canada's Robbi Weldon and guide Brian Berry nor Courtney Knight and guide Andrea Bundon cracked the final.
1km sprint, sitting
Russian Sergey Shilov won the race, depriving teammate Irek Zaripov of his chance to win five gold medals at these Games. The Russians swept the podium with Zaripov taking the silver medal and Vladamir Kiselev claiming the bronze medal.
Zaripov became the fifth paralympian at these Games to win a total of 5 medals.
Italy's Francesca Porcellato won the final on the women's side. Olena Iurkovska of the Ukraine secured the silver medal while Liudmila Vauchok of Belarus took the bronze medal.
Lurlovska is now the sixth paralympian at these Games to win a total of 5 medals.
Canadian cross-ountry skiers failed to advance past the qualifier on both the men's and women's sides. Lou Gibson and Sebastien Fortier were 29th and 32nd, respectively, and Colette Bourgonje was 10th.
1km sprint, classic, standing
Japan's Yoshihiro Nitta won the race followed by Russia's Kirill Mikhaylov in second place and Illkka Tuoomisto of Finland in third.
Mikhaylov's silver mdal is his fifth of these paralympic Games. He finishes with three gold and two silver and is the eighth paralympian to win five medals in 2010.
Canada's Mark Arendz was one spot back and just over two seconds shy of qualifying for the semifinal on the men's side, placing 9th. Fellow Canadian Tyler Mosher was 21st.
On the women's side, Ukraine's Oleksandra Kononova claimed the gold medal while Japan's Shoko Ota took the silver and Anna Burmistrova won the bronze.
Canada's Jody Barber was also just shy of cracking the semifinal, placing 9th. Teammate Mary Benson was 12th.
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