Canada's Arendz claims biathlon bronze, Marcoux emerges with downhill silver

Canada's Mark Arendz claimed his ninth career medal with a bronze in the men's Para biathlon 6-kilometre sprint standing event on Saturday at the Beijing Paralympics.

It is the fifth bronze medal of the 32-year-old's impressive career.

Arendz, of Hartsville, P.E.I., won six medals at PyeongChang 2018, winning his first gold, two silvers, and three bronze medals.

He finished with a time of 18 minutes 8.00 seconds, and despite committing two shooting penalties, he was able to hold off Benjamin Daviet, of France, who placed fourth.

Ukraine's Grygorii Vovchynskyi (16:58.30) and Germany's Marco Maier (17:46.00) edged out Arendz, winning gold and silver, respectively.

Marcoux emerges with silver

Canada's Mac Marcoux raced to silver in the men's visually impaired downhill event.

First out of the gates, and led by guide Tristan Rodgers, Marcoux, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., showed his typical poise, setting a time of one minute 13.81 seconds and answering any lingering questions about his form after missing the world championships in January. It was Marcoux's first race in over two years after his victory in Pyeongchang four years back.

"It was such a good run. We were so nervous, or at least I was, and I think Tristan could tell at the start," said Marcoux. "Being able to come down and lay one down and execute everything we had planned and land on the podium is overwhelming and probably one of the more rewarding runs I've ever done. I'm beyond stoked."

WATCH | Marcoux soars to silver:

Only Austria's Johannes Aigner was able to edge out the Canadian, winning gold with a time of 1:13.45. France's Hyacinthe Deleplace rounded out the podium with bronze in 1:14.10.

Fellow Canadian Logan Leach, the youngest member of the team at 19, placed ninth in 1:26.28.

Medals won by Arendz and Marcoux rounded out a successful opening day for Canada, as alpine skier Mollie Jepsen sped to the country's first gold medal after winning the women's standing downhill in a time of one minute 21.75.

The 22-year-old from West Vancouver, B.C., upgraded from the bronze she won in the event four years ago in Pyeongchang.

Wheelchair curling off to perfect start

Canada's wheelchair curling team kicked off its Paralympics in Beijing with a 7-3 win over defending champion China.

The team consisting of Ina Forrest, Mark Ideson, Dennis Thiessen, Collinda Joseph, and Jon Thurston, used a three-point fourth end to get out of a 2-1 deficit and never looked back.

WATCH | Canada downs China in Paralympic opener:

Once up 4-2, the Canadians added another point in the fifth end, and two more in the seventh to close the show.

With only one point to show for from the sixth end, and down 7-3, China was left with having to score four points in the eighth to extend the game, but to no avail.

In their second of 10 round-robin games, Canada defeated Switzerland 8-4.

WATCH | Canada doubles up on Switzerland for 2nd Paralympic win:

Combaluzier crashes out

Canadian Paralympic rookie Katie Combaluzier crashed out of her opening race.

Combaluzier wasn't the only athlete to stumble on the difficult course at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre — three others failed to finish in her race, while eight-time Paralympic champion Marie Bochet of France crashed out of the standing event.

Japan's Momoka Muraoka won gold with a time of 1:29.77, while Germany's Anna-Lena Forster took silver (1:30.59) and China's Liu Sitong scored bronze (1:32.10).

WATCH | What you missed from the opening ceremony:

More heartbreak for Guimond

Canada's Alexis Guimond skied to a fourth-place finish for the third time in his Paralympic career.

Guimond, of Gatineau, Que., matched his placement from 2018 on Saturday in the men's standing downhill event, missing the podium by just six tenths of a second.

He also finished fourth in the super-G in Pyeongchang. The 22-year-old did manage to get over the hump in one event at those Games, taking bronze in the giant slalom.

France's Arthur Bauchet won gold in 1:14.92, with Austria's Markus Salcher taking silver at 1:15.25 and Switzerland's Theo Gmuer in the bronze-medal position at 1:16.17 — just ahead of Guimond.

Brian Rowland, of Merrickville, Ont., was disqualified from the men's downhill sitting event.

Cameron misses podium with 7th-place finish

Canada's Collin Cameron fell short of adding to his three Paralympic bronze medals with a seventh-place finish in the men's Para biathlon sprint sitting event.

The 33-year-old Bracebridge, Ont., native finished with a time of 21:15.7 seconds — 1:37.1 behind the winning time.

China's Zixu Liu claimed gold with a time of 18:51.50, while Ukraine's Taras Rad grabbed silver (19:09.00), and China's Mengtao Liu (19:33.30).

Fellow Canadian Derek Zaplotinsky finished 14th with a time of 24:26.20.

In the women's event, Paralympic newcomer Christina Picton also placed seventh.

The 28-year-old from Fonthill, Ont., completed the competition with a time of 23:50.70.

American Oksana Masters emerged with gold (20:51.2), China's Yilin Shan took a hold of silver (21:06.30), and Kendall Gretsch, of the U.S., grabbed bronze (22:47.60).

Canadian trio unable to reach podium

Emily Young was the top Canadian in the women's Para biathlon 6km standing race.

The Kelowna, B.C., native placed seventh with a time of 21 minutes 35.8 seconds, while Brittany Hudak finished just behind her in eighth place.

Fellow Canadian Natalie Wilkie had a disappointing start to her Games, finishing 15th, with a run that saw her commit seven shooting penalties. 

The 21-year-old Salmon Arm, B.C., native won three medals in her Paralympic debut at the 2018 Games, with one of each colour.