GB curlers in shock win over favourites Canada
Team in good shape after also thrashing Sweden British trio miss out on snowboard cross medals
Great Britain’s wheelchair curling team crushed defending champions Canada to move up to joint-second place in the round-robin phase at the Paralympics in Pyeongchang.
Aileen Neilson and her teammates secured an emphatic 8-1 win over the favourites, following on from their 6-1 win over struggling Sweden earlier in the day.
Neilson said: “It’s been a good day at the office, you can’t ask for much more than two victories, so we’re really delighted.
“Any team, if they go out there and play at their best, is going to win the match – we did that against Canada, we played good shots at crucial times and it got us the win.
“You can look at the margin of victory and see it as a lot, but it’s not something we focus on too much. This competition is just about getting the wins and making sure we are taking the performances forward.”
Three members of Great Britain’s para-snowboarding team missed out on medals in the men’s snowboard cross event.
James Barnes-miller battled through the qualification rounds before losing to Australia’s Simon Patmore, the eventual gold medallist, in their head-to-head quarterfinal. Owen Pick, who carried the flag in last week’s opening ceremony, and Ben Miller both went out in the last 16. All three snowboarders will have another shot at a medal in the banked slalom competition later in the Games.
Barnes-miller said: “If I get kicked out racing someone and it was a good race, then I’m happy. I think it was a good race. I enjoyed it and I hope everyone else enjoyed it. I’m happy. I’m at the Paralympics, what could be better? I’m just going to catch up with my family and chill out before the next race.”
Holland’s Bibian Mentel-spee won the women’s snowboard cross title, beating compatriot Lisa Bunschoten in a final which saw both racers fall. Mentel-spee has been battling cancer for almost two decades and a bone cancer tumour forced her to have her right leg amputated below the knee while trying to prepare for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
She turned to the Paralympics and, as recently as July 2017, had the disease in her neck, oesophagus and ribs. The 45-year-old expected her treatment to be over by October but, in December, doctors said the tumour in her neck required surgery. “It’s not easy to go through,” she said. “Then again my doctor said it’s a no-brainer for me. You have to have this surgery to enjoy your life. I let go of my expectations for Pyeongchang.”
Brian Mckeever became Canada’s most decorated Paralympian when he won his 11th career gold medal with victory in the men’s visually-impaired 20km cross-country skiing event.
The 38-year-old surpassed para alpine skier Lana Spreeman, who won 13 medals in her five Paralympic appearances. He could improve on his medal total tomorrow in the 1.5km sprint.