Beijing 2022 Day 5 Preview: Paralympic champions Brian McKeever and Natalie Wilkie return for cross country sprints

- Penultimate day in wheelchair curling round-robin

BEIJING, March 8, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada will compete in just two sports on Day 5 of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, with medal chances in the cross-country sprints and two more games in wheelchair curling preliminary play. Below is the schedule for Wednesday March 9 in Beijing:

Para Nordic Skiing ? Cross Country
The third day of Para cross country action will see all classifications race in the sprint. Eight Canadian athletes are on the start lists, including Brian McKeever and Natalie Wilkie who earlier in the Games each claimed gold in their respective long-distance races.

Sprint qualifications kick off in the morning with skiers advancing through to the semifinals and then finals in the afternoon.

First up for Canada are its three men's sitting racers, with long distance bronze medallist Collin Cameron seeking another strong result alongside Derek Zaplotinsky and Ethan Hess starting at 10 a.m. local / 9 p.m. Tuesday ET. In the women's sitting competition, Christina Picton and Lyne-Marie Bilodeau ski off the line at 10:24 a.m. local / 9:24 p.m. Tuesday ET.

Wilkie goes at 10:55 a.m. local / 9:55 p.m. Tuesday ET in the women's standing event followed by McKeever and guide Russell Kennedy at 11:11 a.m. local / 10:11 p.m. Tuesday ET in the men's vision impaired.  

Wheelchair Curling
Canada takes a 4-3 record into the second-last day of preliminary play in Beijing. The team has two more games on tap Wednesday, taking on Great Britain at 2:35 p.m. local / 1:35 a.m. ET then Estonia at 7:35 p.m. local / 6:35 a.m. ET.

The Canadians are currently in a three-way tie for fourth in the standings, which will see the top four teams advance into the semifinals. Great Britain is 3-3 and Estonia is 2-4.  

CLICK HERE for the complete Canadian Paralympic Team schedule on March 9. 

HOW TO WATCH

All Canadian competition can be live streamed as it happens. Live streams can be found on Paralympic.ca, CPC's YouTube channel, cbc.ca/beijing2022 and Radio-Canada.ca/jeux-paralympiques, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the Radio-Canada Sports app, and CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. Anyone wishing to catch up on the action afterwards can also watch events on-demand on these platforms, as well as Amazon Prime Video.  

March 9 Canadian TV Broadcasts:

Sportsnet One ? 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
CBC Daytime ? 3 p.m. local
CBC Late Night ? 12:30 a.m. local
Radio-Canada ? 1 p.m. ET
Radio-Canada ? 11:05 p.m. ET
*please check local listings*

Click here for the complete broadcast schedule.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Resources to cover the Beijing 2022 Canadian Paralympic Team, including athlete bios, flash quotes, photos, and video highlights, are available at Paralympic.ca/beijing-2022-media. 

Follow @CDNParalympics for the most up-to-date news

About the Canadian Paralympic Team: A total of 48 athletes are competing for Canada in five sports at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, taking place March 4-13. 

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca

MEDIA CONTACTS

[LINK] LIST OF MEDIA CONTACTS BY SPORT
For interview requests with the athletes during the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter, please contact the specific sport media attaché.

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)