Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics preview for 12 &13 March: Key events not to miss
There will be marquee medals up for grabs in four sports on the final weekend of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics.
Paralympic Games
The final weekend of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics will see medals awarded in multiple disciplines across four sports, including Para alpine skiing, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, and wheelchair curling.
The action begins with the Para alpine skiing women's slalom vision impaired at 08:30 CST on Saturday (12 March) and concludes with the second run of the men's slalom sitting competition on Sunday (13 March), before the Closing Ceremony in the evening.
Here is what to expect from a few of the weekend's finals:
Wheelchair curling - Can the People's Republic of China defend Paralympic gold on home ice?
Canadian teams have won three of the four Paralympic wheelchair curling gold medals on offer since the sport was added to the Paralympic programme in 2006.
However the People's Republic of China, who won gold in the event at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics, are the reigning world champions in the competition, and will no doubt be buoyed on by strong home support.
Wang Haitao is one of the standout names of the competition; the 32-year-old skipped China to gold at the 2018 Winter Paralympics, as well as the 2019 and 2021 world championships.
Can he do the same again on Saturday?
The gold medal game is scheduled to start at 14:35 CST.
Para ice hockey - Can the USA make it four in a row?
The final of the Para ice hockey tournament at the 2018 Winter Paralympics was one for the ages, with the USA winning its third successive gold medal (and fourth total) thanks to a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada.
The U.S. team are hot favourites to defend their gold in Beijing and came into the competition as the reigning world champions. They could face their northern neighbours once more in the gold medal game.
The puck for the gold medal game is scheduled to drop at 12:05 CST on Sunday 13 March.
Schedule 12 March
Para Alpine Skiing - rescheduled
- 08:30: Women's Slalom Vision Impaired Run 1
- Followed by Women's Slalom Standing Run 1
- Followed by Women's Slalom Sitting Run 1
- 11:45: Women's Slalom Vision Impaired Run 2 - MEDAL EVENT
- Followed by Women's Slalom Standing Run 2 - MEDAL EVENT
- Followed by Women's Slalom Sitting Run 2 - MEDAL EVENT
Para Cross-Country Skiing
- 10:00: Men's Middle Distance Free Technique Vision Impaired - MEDAL EVENT
- 10:15: Men's Middle Distance Free Technique Standing - MEDAL EVENT
- 11:20: Women's Middle Distance Free Technique Vision Impaired - MEDAL EVENT
- 11:35: Women's Middle Distance Free Technique Standing - MEDAL EVENT
- 12:30: Men's Middle Distance Sitting - MEDAL EVENT
- 12:50: Women's Middle Distance Sitting - MEDAL EVENT
Para Ice Hockey
- 20:05: Bronze medal game – MEDAL EVENT
Wheelchair curling
- 14:35: Gold medal game - MEDAL EVENT
Schedule 13 March
Para Alpine Skiing - rescheduled
- 08:30: Men's Slalom Vision Impaired Run 1
- Followed by Men's Slalom Standing Run 1
- Followed by Men's Slalom Sitting Run 1
- 12:30: Men's Slalom Vision Impaired Run 2 - MEDAL EVENT
- Followed by Men's Slalom Standing Run 2 - MEDAL EVENT
- Followed by Men's Slalom Sitting Run 2 - MEDAL EVENT
Para Cross-Country Skiing
- 10:00: Mixed 4x2.5km Relay - MEDAL EVENT
- 12:00: Zhangjiakou National Biathlon CentreOpen 4x2.5km Relay - MEDAL EVENT
Para Ice Hockey
- 12:05: Gold medal game – MEDAL EVENT