CHINA ADDS FOUR MORE GOLDS, TOPS MEDAL TALLY
Para cross country skiers Zheng Peng and Mao Zhongwu finish one-two in men’s long-distance sitting, while Zhang Mengqiu wins nation’s first alpine skiing title
China’s Winter Paralympic athletes are thriving on home snow, taking their gold medal tally to six on day two of the Beijing Games yesterday.
After winning silver on day 1, Zhang Mengqiu etched her name into the history books by winning China’s first alpine skiing gold, while cross country skier Zheng Peng claimed gold in Para cross country men’s long distance sitting.
Liang Jingyi took gold in the men’s super-G standing event and Yang Hongqiong earned top honours in the women’s Para cross-country skiing long distance sitting race.
Zhang clocked a winning time of one minute and 13.54 seconds at the women’s super-G standing race to take gold ahead of French competitor Marie Bochet of France, and Canadian racer Alana Ramsay, who took home bronze. On Saturday, Zhang shocked two former Paralympic champions to win silver in the women’s Para alpine skiing.
Zheng, along with Mao Zhongwu, finished one-two in men’s long-distance sitting, reinforcing the host nation’s lead in the medal tally with six golds, giving them a total of 16 medals.
The 29-year-old Zheng, who placed fourth in the event and 10th in sprint sitting at the Pyeongchang Games, clocked a time of 43:09.2, 14.6 seconds ahead of his teammate Mao, who was followed by Canadian Collin Cameron, the sprint sitting world champion in 2019.
“I am super excited. It is a dream come true,” said Zheng. “In Pyeongchang, I wasn’t strong mentally or physically. I was close to getting a medal, like 10-15 seconds or so but now, with four more years of training, I am in better physical condition.
“I know better about what I can do, how to make the most out of it. Whether I win or lose, I can keep it together.”
The Chinese duo led all through the 18km race and were never really challenged. Elsewhere, China’s Para cross-country skier Yang Hongqiong clinched the women’s long distance sitting gold in a narrow win over American star Oksana Masters.
A Paralympic debutant, 32-year-old Yang finished the 15km race in 43 minutes and 6.7 seconds, followed by Masters, also 32, in 43:38.3 and China’s Li Panpan in 45:17.0. “I actually felt worn out in the second half of the race, but then I heard them cheering for me. With that in the background, the more I skied, the more powerful I felt,” Yang said.
“We’ve proved that Team China has unlimited potential for winter sports.”
Also making the podium yesterday was Chinese skier Liang Jingyi, who won gold for the men’s super-G standing. Liang crossed the finish line in 1:09.11.
In the women’s super-G vision impaired final, China’s Zhu Daqing added a bronze to the host nation’s already impressive haul, while gold went to Slovak Alexandra Rexova with British alpine skier Menna Fitzpatrick taking silver.
China’s medals on day two of competition add to a record medal haul, which on day one featured eight medals in Para biathlon and Para alpine skiing.
Japan’s Momoka Muraoka, took home her second gold medal in the super-G in 1:23.73.