North Okanagan athletes in Beijing: Leach misses podium, curling team starts strong

Two North Okanagan athletes began their Paralympic journey at the 2022 Games in Beijing Friday.

Para alpine skier Logan Leach from Lumby competed in the vision impaired men’s downhill final on March 4. Leach placed ninth with a time of 1:26:28, just over 12 seconds back of the gold-medal-winning time. Fellow Canadian Mac Marcoux earned the silver medal in the event with a time of 1:13:81.

Leach, along with guide Julien Petit, will compete in the final of the men’s Super-G vision impaired event on Saturday, March 5 at 6 p.m. Pacific time.

Leach is Canada’s youngest athlete at the Games at just 19 years old.

Logan Leach makes his Paralympic debut 🇨🇦🙌

At the age of 19, the Para alpine skier is Canada's youngest athlete at the 2022 Games @Bell Performance of the Day pic.twitter.com/cO1X19W0lz

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) March 5, 2022

In wheelchair curling, Spallumcheen’s Ina Forrest and Team Canada got off to a good start in the tournament, beating China on the opening day of the Games. Canada won by a score of 7-3. Forrest was outstanding in the win, shooting a perfect 100 per cent on draws and 73 per cent overall. Team China are the reigning champions of the event.

Then on Saturday, the Canadian curlers defeated Switzerland 8-4, scoring two points in the seventh end.

Team Canada is the only 2-0 team and currently sits at the top of the standings in the group stage.

Canada will play their third game against a 1-0 Latvia team on Sunday.

READ MORE: Spallumcheen’s Ina Forrest bears Canada’s flag at Beijing Paralympics

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