March 18 at Vancouver 2010: Canada produces best day at Games with four medals

The downhill events got underway on the slopes at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games on March 18 and it was a golden day for Canada as it reached the dozen medal mark.

Viviane Forest of Montreal made history with her victory in the women’s visually impaired race with her guide Lindsay Debou. Forest became the first Canadian woman to win gold at both a winter and summer Paralympic Games. She was on the Canadian gold medal winning goalball teams at the 2000 and 2004 Games.

Calgary’s Lauren Woolstencroft continued her Drive for Five with her downhill victory, her third gold of the Games.

There were also two medals in Para nordic skiing. Brian McKeever of Canmore and his guide and brother Robin McKeever collected their second gold of the Games placing first in the men’s visually impaired 10 kilometre.

Saskatoon’s Colette Bourgonje, in her ninth Paralympic Games (across summer and winter) also added a second podium to her already impressive resume with bronze in the women’s sitting five kilometre race. 

There was stunning news in Para ice hockey as Japan upset Canada 3-1 in the semifinals, relegating the defending champions to the bronze medal game.