ROSA KHUTOR, Russia — Sit-skier Josh Dueck earned Canada’s third gold medal of the Sochi Paralympics.
The 33-year-old from Kimberley, B.C., won the gold medal he’s been craving after winning the men’s super combined Friday with a memorable come-from-behind victory.
Dueck entered the day’s super-G run in fifth place after Tuesday’s slalom portion of the race, but laid down the fastest time to win by 0.89 seconds.
"I’m stunned, speechless, to the moon," said Dueck, who finished with a combined time of two minutes 18.20 seconds for the first gold medal of his Paralympic career. "This is definitely the one achievement that was missing on my bookshelf."
"I don’t like to focus on the outcome of what’s going on, but I wanted this and it feels freaking great," he added.
Dueck’s performance gave Canada its third gold medal at the Games following back-to-back victories by visually impaired cross-country skier Brian McKeever.
Dueck also won a silver on the first day of competition at Rosa Khutor to go with a second-place finish in the slalom at the Vancouver Paralympics four years ago.
In the men’s standing category, Braydon Luscombe of Duncan, B.C., was second after the first run, but did not finish his second run. Kirk Schornstein of Spruce Grove, Alta., was 12th (2:22.07). In the women’s standing category, Toronto’s Erin Latimer was seventh (2:41.85). The men’s giant slalom gets underway on Saturday.
Also, John Leslie of Arnprior, Ont., led the team with a seventh-place finish in the first snowboard cross ever to be held at a Paralympic Games. Tyler Mosher of Whistler, B.C. placed 12th and Ian Lockey of Rossland, B.C. placed 21st.
On the women’s side, Calgary’s Michelle Salt — Canada’s only female para-snowboarder — placed ninth.
In biathlon, Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., was the top Canadian in the men’s 15-kilometre standing division, placing 11th at 40:34.2 (1+0+0+1). Ottawa’s Caroline Bisson finished 12th in the women’s 12.5-kilometre standing class with a time of 56:21.8 (1+2+0+1).
