Canada wraps successful Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games with 25 medals

BEIJING – With Para alpine skier Mollie Jepsen carrying the Canadian flag at the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games officially came to a close. 

The Canadian Paralympic Team added two more medals on the final day to conclude the Games with a total of 25. In Para ice hockey, Canada dropped a 5-0 decision to the United States in the final to take silver for the second consecutive Games. 

Para nordic skiers Collin Cameron, Emily Young, Mark Arendz, and Natalie Wilkie also teamed up for bronze in the 4×2.5km cross country mixed relay. It was Young’s first medal of the Games, while her three teammates are all multi-medallists in Beijing. 

OVERALL MEDAL TOTAL 
Gold: 8 // Silver: 6 // Bronze: 11 // Total: 25

Canada finished third in the medal standings behind China and Ukraine. With 25 medals, the 48 athletes who competed in Beijing have orchestrated the county’s second-best Paralympic Winter Games. Four years ago, Canada won 28 medals, its current record. 

Josh Dueck, chef de mission, Beijing 2022 Canadian Paralympic Team: 

“I am so thrilled for each and every athlete who competed for Canada over the past nine days. This team has displayed so much heart, resiliency, and passion and it has been an honour to have the opportunity to witness so many incredible athletes compete and show off all the dedication and hard work they have put in to be the best at what they do. There is so much to celebrate for the entire Canadian Paralympic Team, from every podium performance to the personal bests to so many moments in between that have all combined to elevate, motivate, and unite Canadians and Paralympic sport. It has been a successful Paralympic Winter Games for Canada, and I congratulate all the athletes, coaches, and staff for all their work in making this possible.”  

Marc-André Fabien, president, Canadian Paralympic Committee: 

“The Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games has been a triumph for Canada and for the Paralympic Movement, showcasing the best of sport on and off the field of play. We look forward to using the momentum from the performances in Beijing to continue to build Paralympic winter sport in Canada, to create more opportunities for people with a disability to participate in sport at the highest level, and to increase the funding support for our athletes. As we look ahead to a potential bid to host the 2030 Games, the stepping stones to an even brighter future for Paralympic sport in Canada are clear.”

HIGHLIGHTS

•    Medals by sport: Para nordic skiing (14), Para alpine skiing (6), Para snowboard (3), Para ice hockey (1), wheelchair curling (1) 

•    A total of 37 athletes are coming home from the Games with a medal

•    In addition to the medals, Canada earned another eight Top 5 finishes

•    Para nordic skiers Mark Arendz and Natalie Wilkie claimed the most medals for Canada, with four each. Individually, Wilkie captured two gold and one silver in cross country, while Arendz earned a gold, silver, and bronze in biathlon. Both were then members of Canada’s bronze-medal winning mixed relay squad. 

•    In his sixth and final Paralympic Winter Games, the legendary Brian McKeever further cemented his bursting place in the sporting history books, winning three gold for a total of 20 career Paralympic medals. Already Canada’s most decorated Winter Paralympian and the world’s most successful male Para cross-country skier heading into the Games, he is also now tied with German Para alpine skier Gerd Schoenfelder for the most-ever gold medals won by a male winter Paralympian with 16. 

•    Brian McKeever, Mark Arendz, and Natalie Wilkie all represent different generations of Canada’s uber successful Para nordic team – McKeever, age 42, at his sixth Games; Arendz, age 32, at his fourth Games; Wilkie, age 21, at her second Games 

•    Nine athletes were multi-medallists in Beijing: Mark Arendz (4), Natalie Wilkie (4), Brian McKeever (3), Collin Cameron (3), Mollie Jepsen (2), Tyler Turner (2), Alana Ramsay (2), Brittany Hudak (2), and guide Russell Kennedy (2)

•    12 athletes won a Paralympic medal at their debut Games: Tyler Turner, Lisa DeJong, Jon Thurston, Collinda Joseph, guide Tristan Rodgers, Rod Crane, Anton Jacobs-Webb, Adam Kingsmill, Zach Lavin, Antoine Lehoux, Garrett Riley, and Branden Sison

•    Para alpine skier Mollie Jepsen was Canada’s first medallist with a gold in the downhill on day one of the Games

•    Monday March 7 was Canada’s biggest medal day, winning three gold, a silver, and two bronze 

•    Canada’s Para snowboarders created history in Beijing, winning the country’s first-ever medals in the sport since it joined the Paralympic program in 2014. Lisa DeJong won a silver for Canada’s first podium before Tyler Turner captured the first gold, both in snowboard cross. Turner also added a bronze in banked slalom.  

•    Para nordic skier Natalie Wilkie was Canada’s youngest medallist at the Games. She turned 21 years old in January. 

•    Dennis Thiessen of wheelchair curling was Canada’s oldest medallist at the age of 60. 

•    Canada’s wheelchair curling team claimed bronze to extend its podium streak to five consecutive Games. The sport joined the Paralympic Winter Games in 2006 and Canada has since won three gold (2006, 2010, 2014) and two bronze (2018, 2022).

•    Mark Arendz crossed the double-digit mark in career Paralympic medals. He started Beijing with eight, and added four more for a total of 12. 

•    Canada’s Para nordic skiing team surpassed the 50 medal mark for total Paralympic medals going back to the first winter Games in 1976. The team started the Games with 45 and have finished with 59 (46 in cross country and 13 in biathlon). 

•    Medallists by listed home province: Ontario (16), British Columbia (6), Quebec (4), Alberta (4), Saskatchewan (2), Prince Edward Island (2), Manitoba (1), Yukon (1), and Newfoundland & Labrador (1)

•    Canada’s Opening Ceremony flag bearers Ina Forrest (wheelchair curling) and Greg Westlake (Para ice hockey) won a bronze and silver in their respective team sports, while Closing Ceremony flag bearer Mollie Jepsen (Para alpine skiing) comes home with two medals, a gold and silver