China still top the medal table and it’s a decisive day in Wheelchair Curling and Para Ice Hockey.
China’s Para Cross Country Skiers picked up two Gold medals at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre in the Sprint Sitting finals. It was a second gold apiece for Peng ZHENG (Men’s event) and Hongqiong YANG (Women’s event), with Yang once again beating Oksana Masters.
In the Men’s Sprint Free Technique Standing, Mongolia’s two athletes (Ganbold BATMUNKH and Dashdorj TSEGMID) and I.R. Iran’s KHATIBI MIANAEI didn’t manage to get through the qualifying round. In the women’s VI event, I.R. Iran’s Elaheh GHOLIFALLAH also didn’t manage to get through the qualifying round.
In the Wheelchair Curling, China faced Norway. In a tight game, Norway led 4-3 going into the final end but China had the hammer. They took this end by 4 so that the final score was CHN 7-4 NOR. This put China on the top of the standings with two more games to play. Korea met with GBR in their game with both teams needing the win to keep their hopes of making the finals alive. At the half-way point Korea led 5-3. Great Britain then pulled it back so that Korea were only leading by one point going into the final end. Korea had the hammer and scored one so the final score was KOR 8 v 6 GBR. Korea have moved up to fifth in the standings and need to win their final two games against USA and Sweden tomorrow to have a chance of a finals place.
In Para Ice Hockey it was the qualifying finals. Korea faced Italy first and won their game 4-0. This puts them into the Semi-final on Friday (11 March) where they will face Canada for a spot in Sunday’s final. It will be a tough match for them as Canada beat them 6-0 earlier in the competition. Then it was China’s turn to face the Czech Republic. The two teams had already met in the preliminary rounds where China had won 5-2, they again took the victory, with the final score CHN 4 v 3 CZE. China will now face USA in the Semi-finals.
At the end of day five, China still top the medal table with Japan now in fifth place. Tomorrow will see medals in Para Alpine Giant Slalom and the final wheelchair curling games of the Round Robin stage.
