Canada's Wilkie wins third medal at Paralympics with cross-country sprint bronze

Canada's Natalie Wilkie approaches the finish line during the Para Biathlon Women's Individual Standing competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday March 8, 2026. (Thien-An Truong/OIS/IOC via AP)

MILAN — Canada’s Natalie Wilkie now has a medal of every colour at the Milan Cortina Paralympics after claiming bronze in Tuesday’s women’s sprint classic standing cross-country skiing race.

Wilkie, from Salmon Arm, B.C., finished third in three minutes 40.2 seconds, behind Norway’s Vilde Nilsen (3:31.3) and American Sydney Peterson (3:35.5).

Wilkie won two Para biathlon medals earlier in the Games, with gold in the women’s individual standing and silver in the women’s sprint.

“I’m pretty happy,” Wilkie said. “I did want the gold, but this is the bronze and it completes my set of gold, silver, bronze.

“This is a significant medal because it’s my 10th Paralympic medal, so I am actually really happy about that.”

Emma Archibald of Fall River, N.S., finished eighth in her Paralympic debut.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I was a bit stressed this morning, a bit nervous. But after getting that first heat done with and being able to do it strong, I think I came back stronger for the semifinal. I was really happy that I got that second chance.”

Canada has won at least one medal in four straight days of competition and has eight medals overall (one gold, three silver, four bronze).

Canada ranks fifth in overall medals, but was tied for 13th in the table that prioritizes medals by colour.

In the men’s standing event, 13-time Paralympic medallist Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., was sixth.

In the men’s sitting competition, Collin Cameron of Bracebridge, Ont., finished 11th overall while Logan Lariviere of Sudbury, Ont., and guide Joe Hutton of Lakeside, Ont., were 12th in the men’s visually impaired category.

In the men’s visually impaired Para alpine skiing competition, Kalle Eriksson of Kimberley, B.C., and guide Sierra Smith of Ottawa were fourth.

Maddie Mullin of Fergus, Ont., and guide Brooke Ailey of North Bay, Ont., were sixth in the women’s visually impaired competition and Christina Picton of Fonthill, Ont., was ninth in the women’s sitting category.

Also Tuesday, Canada’s wheelchair curling team earned a 9-4 win over China and a 6-5 victory over Sweden.

In the early matchup, the Canadians broke open a close game with four points in the seventh end.

Skip Mark Ideson of London, Ont., made two nose hits in the eighth end of the night game against Sweden to score three points for the comeback win as Canada improved to 6-0.

“We’re working together and relying on each other to figure out the paths, figure out the rocks,” said Ideson. “We’re building momentum and this win puts us in a good position.”

Canada’s Para hockey team defeated Czechia 4-1 to wrap up the preliminary round at 3-0. Tyler McGregor of Forest, Ont., had a goal and two assists.

Liam Hickey of St. John’s, N.L., James Dunn of Wallacetown, Ont., and Vincent Boily of Alma, Que., had the other goals as Canada clinched first place in Pool B.

“After two late starts, to get up and play an afternoon game (I thought) we would be a bit sluggish, but good teams find a way to win, and we did,” said head coach Boris Rybalka. “Leading into the semifinal, I’d much rather have that type of game: high emotion, lots of adversity, tight checking, and now we will be ready for China on Friday.”

Canada outshot Czechia 26-12.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2026.