Brian McKeever, guide Graham Nishikawa strike gold at World Cup in Germany
Brian McKeever and guide, Yukon Graham Nishikawa bounced back to win the gold medal under marginal conditions at the Para-Nordic World Cup in Altenberg, Germany.
Brian McKeever and guide, Yukon Graham Nishikawa bounced back to win the gold medal under marginal conditions at the Para-Nordic World Cup in Altenberg, Germany.
A winner of 17 Paralympic medals, the 40-year-old McKeever was looking to rebound after a disappointing sprint race earlier in the week.
He did exactly that on Wednesday, dusting the field in a six-kilometre race that saw the top Para-Nordic athletes ski 10 times around a 570-metre slushy loop that had rocks, dirt and grass poking through the snow.
The Canadian duo navigated the conditions to perfection while posting a golden time of 14:28.9.
鈥淭he boys skied much better today under very marginal conditions,鈥� said Robin McKeever, head coach, Canadian Para-Nordic Team. 鈥淕raham did an excellent job of getting them through traffic, so they didn鈥檛 have an accident, and the course suited them very well.鈥�
Yury Holub, of Belarus, was the next best finisher, 27.2 seconds behind the Canucks. Holub stopped the clock at 14:56.1 to take the silver. Sweden鈥檚 Zebastian Modin backed up his golden sprint race with a bronze medal after crossing the finish line with a time of 15:03.6.
McKeever and Nishikaw鈥檚 teammate Collin Cameron earned bronze in a short distance skate-ski race.
Earlier in the week in Dresden, Germany, McKeever, the leader of the Para-Nordic Team and Nishikawa sprinted to the silver medal in the men鈥檚 visually impaired category.
McKeever, from Canmore, Alta., came up short in his quest to take down his top rival from Sweden, Zebastian Modin.
He was stuck in the second place position all day.
He qualified second on the one-kilometre track that meandered along the downtown streets of the old German city. He was also second in his semifinal heat before crossing the line behind Sweden鈥檚 Modin in the final.
鈥淲e fought hard, but didn鈥檛 ski well enough to win,鈥� said McKeever. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 make up enough time where we needed to and then it was over. Some days just aren鈥檛 great. Modin is fast, and a really good sprinter.鈥�
Germany鈥檚 Nico Messinger was third in the men鈥檚 visually impaired category
Their teammate Natalie Wilkie, from Salmon Arm, B.C. and one week removed from her 18th birthday, earned her second sprint podium finish of the season with a bronze medal.
鈥淭his was a good day for the team,鈥� said Robin McKeever, head coach, Canada鈥檚 Para-Nordic Team. 鈥淚t was a good team effort and a really solid day for the women.鈥�
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