PREDAZZO, Italy — Canada is celebrating its first gold medal of the Milan–Cortina Paralympic Games, thanks to a standout performance from Natalie Wilkie.
The skier from Salmon Arm, B.C., captured gold in the women’s standing para-biathlon on Sunday, finishing the race in 33:01.8, comfortably ahead of China’s Zhao Zhiqing and Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova. The victory marks Wilkie’s fourth Paralympic gold medal and ninth overall, adding to the silver she earned just a day earlier in the sprint event.
Wilkie said the win felt surreal, noting that while racing at the Paralympics brings extra excitement and energy from the crowds, she was able to stay focused and treat it like any other competition.
Canada added more hardware later in the day. Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., claimed silver in the men’s race, bringing his career Paralympic medal count to 13. Meanwhile, snowboarder Tyler Turner of Campbell River, B.C., picked up bronze in the men’s SB-LL1 snowboard cross after a dramatic finish that required a post-race review.
Team Canada also stayed strong in wheelchair curling, with Mark Ideson and his rink improving to 3-0 after victories over Great Britain and Norway.
However, the team also faced a setback as Mollie Jepsen, a six-time Paralympic medallist from West Vancouver, withdrew from the Games due to a knee injury after competing in the downhill event.
With the latest results, the 2026 Milan–Cortina Paralympic Winter Games sees Canada sitting at six medals overall — one gold, three silver, and two bronze — with competition continuing through March 15. 🇨🇦🥇
(Source: Richmond News)
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