Listen to this article
Estimated 5 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Follow Winter Paralympic SportsPersonalize Your Feed
Canada’s Natalie Wilkie captured her second biathlon gold of the Milano-Cortina Paralympics on Friday, winning the women’s standing sprint pursuit for her fourth medal in as many events.
The Salmon Arm, B.C., native dominated the race with a time of 12 minutes 18 seconds after hitting all 10 targets with her air rifle across two shooting stages in Val di Fiemme.
Wilkie finished 17.7 seconds ahead of Ukrainian silver medallist Iryna Bui. Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova took bronze in 12:49.
WATCH | Wilkie wins gold in sprint pursuit:
Canada’s Natalie Wilkie wins 2nd Para biathlon gold and 4th medal at Milano-Cortina Paralympics
After winning a medal of every colour, Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., won gold in the Para biathlon women’s sprint pursuit standing final at Milano Cortina 2026.
Brittany Hudak of Prince Albert, Sask., finished ninth in 13:51.3.
Wilkie, who was third in qualifying Friday morning, said she was “pretty stressed” ahead of the final. The event is a new addition to the Paralympics, and the only head-to-head biathlon race on the program.
“This was the race I was most unsure about actually, just because in the sprint pursuit things can change, and so quickly too,” Wilkie said.
“I was the fourth starter out [in the final]; I came third in the qualifier today with 10 seconds to make up. Watching my competitors come out of the start area, I knew that it was going to be a tough race this afternoon.”
WATCH | Wilkie reflects on sprint pursuit win:
Canada’s Wilkie ‘was pretty stressed’ before the final after claiming her 2nd gold medal
Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., captured a fourth medal from the Milano-Cortina Paralympic Games, taking gold in the Para biathlon women’s sprint pursuit standing final Friday.
The 25-year-old Wilkie, one of Canada’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony, is now an 11-time Paralympic medallist. She took silver in the sprint biathlon last Saturday before winning the individual biathlon Sunday and adding bronze in Tuesday’s cross-country sprint classic.
Wilkie had never won a Paralympic medal in biathlon before these Games, with all her previous ones coming in cross-country skiing. Her latest gold is a triumph in more ways than one, as it came in an event that once frustrated her.
“I’ve struggled so much with this race format,” Wilkie said. “When it was introduced in 2023 I absolutely hated it, and for the last couple of years I’ve tried to avoid it and not do this race, simply because I’m not a fast shooter and this race doesn’t favour slow shooters like me.
“Over the last two years my coach forced me to start doing more sprint pursuits just so that I could get better at them, and it’s definitely paid off because on a day like today I was able to keep my focus and shoot clean and win the gold medal.”
WATCH | Wilkie receives sprint pursuit gold medal:
Canada’s Natalie Wilkie collects her 2nd gold medal at the Milano-Cortina Paralympics
Watch as Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., receives her fourth medal from the Milano-Cortina Paralympic Games, after winning gold in the Para biathlon women’s sprint pursuit standing final.
Canada has 11 medals through seven days of competition in Italy. In addition to Wilkie’s two gold medals, Canada has three silver and six bronze. The full medal table is available here.
Canada’s nordic skiing team has now accounted for seven medals, with four in biathlon and three in cross-country.
Wilkie’s fourth podium appearance pushes Canada within one of 200 total medals won at the Winter Paralympics.
Wilkie donned gold glitter on her face for Friday’s biathlon finale, something she also did ahead of her win in the 12.5-kilometre individual biathlon event.
“I put it on this morning because I was really hoping for the gold. I knew it was going to be a special win if I got it,” Wilkie said. “But the glitter, whatever the colour, is really just there to remind me to have fun and find joy in the process, and bring out the little kid in me.
“Little Natalie would be so amazed to see me at the Paralympics today, winning the gold medal in an event that I never thought I would.”
Wilkie, with gold glitter on her cheeks, holds up her sprint pursuit gold medal. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)
The three-time Paralympian has matched her career-high medal total from the 2022 Beijing Games and still has two events left.
Wilkie is scheduled to compete in the mixed 4×2.5km cross-country relay on Saturday and the 20km interval start free cross-country race on Sunday — making it possible for her to tie late alpine legend Lana Spreeman as Canada’s most decorated female Winter Paralympian with 13 medals.
Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., placed fourth in the men’s standing sprint pursuit later Friday after finishing 4.5 seconds behind bronze medallist Marco Maier of Germany.
China’s Cai Jaiyun captured his third gold of these Games in a photo finish, edging Grygorii Vovchynskyi of Ukraine by 0.2 seconds with a time of 10:33.4.
Arendz, a 14-time Paralympic medallist, was aiming for his third medal in Italy after earning silver in the individual biathlon last Sunday and bronze in the 10km cross-country race on Wednesday.
Smoky Lake, Alta.’s Derek Zaplotinsky was 20th in the men’s sitting sprint pursuit.
Arendz and Zaplotinsky will join Wilkie in the mixed relay along with six-time Paralympic medallist Collin Cameron of Bracebridge, Ont.