Canadian biathlete captures elusive gold, winning 15K race at Paralympics
PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of — After Mark Arendz missed the top of the Paralympic medal podium four years ago in Sochi, he harnessed that frustration in every training session.
The 28-year-old from Hartsville, P.E.I., won biathlon’s standing 15-kilometre event in Pyeongchang on Friday, finally capturing the one medal missing from his Paralympic collection. It was his fourth medal of these Games.
“All week, every time I step on that podium, I was thinking to myself that I want to hear those words ‘Paralympic champion’ and then my name, and then hear the anthem,” Arendz said. “I’ve seen the Maple Leaf on that podium a few times now with teammates, but to finally be up there myself with that anthem, that’s going to be an amazing feeling.”
His medal boosted Canada’s total to 19, tying the team’s best-ever performance from Vancouver in 2010, and three better than the team won four years ago in Sochi — with two days of competition remaining. With Canada’s Para hockey team facing the U.S. in Sunday’s final, Canada is guaranteed a best-ever finish.