The Para biathlon competition opened with strong performances at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium as American athlete Oksana Masters successfully defended her women’s sprint sitting title, securing the 20th Paralympic medal of her career. Competing in her eighth Paralympic Games, Masters expressed surprise and joy at the victory after facing a difficult preparation period.

Masters, who also competes in Para cross-country skiing and Para cycling, had undergone surgery during the summer and recently dealt with an infection and concussion that disrupted her training schedule. Despite the challenges, she produced a strong performance to claim the gold medal.

Her teammate, Kendall Gretsch, finished 16 seconds behind to win silver, giving the United States a double podium finish. Anja Wicker of Germany secured the bronze medal in the event.

In the women’s sprint standing category, Oleksandra Kononova of Ukraine claimed gold after a closely contested race, with Natalie Wilkie of Canada taking silver.

Meanwhile, in the men’s sprint standing event, Jiayun Cai and Xiaobin Liu delivered a dominant performance for China, winning gold and silver respectively, while Marco Maier of Germany earned the bronze medal.