On the final day of the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships, Brian McKeever earned Canada’s second gold medal.
He competed in the Men’s Visually-Impaired Long Distance Cross-Country, while also earning his 20th world title on home soil.
“It’s nice to be here in Prince George, to be at home, It’s good to be back here we have raced here a number of times in the past. It’s a great trail system,” McKeever tells PrinceGeorgeMatters shortly after his big win. “The organizers and volunteers have done a fantastic job. We love racing here and it’s great to be back.”
.@brianmckeever gets his GOLD in the Long Distance, Visually Impaired! @CDNParalympics @Paralympics @CityofPG @OtwayPG #wpnsc2019 #cityofpg #takeonog #skiing @cccski @PGMatters #pgmatters #otway #canada #bc pic.twitter.com/236A1QcZYU
— Jess Fedigan (@jj_fedigan) February 24, 2019
McKeever’s win marks Canada’s second gold medal of the championships, with Colin Cameron earning a gold earlier in the week during the Men’s Sitting Sprint.
Cameron was scheduled for the Men’s Sitting Long Distance today, but was unable to compete.
“Everyone has performed up to expectations,” says McKeever of Canada’s performance. “Guys like Colin exceeded to an extent. We were hoping for a medal or a win for him but he got sick at a bad time. Can’t change that but he stepped up and he still won that sprint and that was a big boost for all of us.”
Mark Arendz, also earned Canada a silver medal in the Men's Standing Long Distance Cross-Country, narrowly missing gold to Japan’s Taiki Kawayoke.
Canadian Natalie Wilkie also earned Canada’s third medal of the day, a silver during one of the final events of the competition; the Women’s Standing Long Distance Cross-Country.
.@CDNParalympics’ Natalie Wilkie wins 🥈 in the Women’s 15km Standing Cross-Country at the 2019 World @ParaNordic in #PrinceGeorge! Her 2nd is 🇨🇦’s 10th & final medal of the Championships 🎿 | #CityOfPG @2019WPNSCH @OtwayPG @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/PLFtHxDlt8
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) February 24, 2019
Canada earned a total of 10 medals from the Prince George Championships, racking up two gold, six silver, and two bronze.
The medallists from the final day of competition is as follows:
Men Long, Sitting
- Martin Fleig, Germany – Gold
- Taras Rad, Ukraine – Silver
- Dzmitry Loban, Belarus – Bronze
Women Long, Sitting
- Oksana Masters, USA – Gold
- Kendall Gretsch, USA – Silver
- Birgit Skarstein, Norway - Bronze
Oskana Masters from USA takes gold in women’s long sitting cross country! #CityofPG pic.twitter.com/LxKBzw6VH8
— Hanna Petersen (@hannaepeter) February 24, 2019
Men Long, Standing
- Taiki Kawayoke, Japan – Gold
- Mark Arendz, Canada – Silver
- Gryg Vovchynsky, Ukraine - Bronze
Men Long, Visually Impaired
- Brian McKeever Canada - Gold
- Zebastian Modin, Sweden - Silver
- Eriik Bye, Norway - Bronze
Women Long Standing
- Nilsen Vilde, Norway – Gold
- Natalie Wilkie, Canada – Silver
- Liudmyla Liashenko, Ukraine - Bronze
Women Long, Visually Impaired
- Carina Edlinger, Austria – Gold
- Oksana Shyshkova, Ukraine – Silver
- Ya Skorabahataya, Belarus - Bronze
The closing ceremonies take place later this evening (Feb. 24) at the Prince George Civic Centre.
.@CDNParalympics has ended the @ParaNordic here in Prince George with a total of 10 medals. Two gold, six silver and two bronze. @markarendz had six of those #canada #bc #wpnsc2019 #skiing #paralympics @Paralympics @OtwayPG @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/OAFazgCT8P
— Jess Fedigan (@jj_fedigan) February 24, 2019
