Top moments from the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

After eight days of sporting action that will live long in the memory, the Paralympic Winter Games have come to an end. It's time to look back on some of the stars who shone brightest at Beijing 2022.

Jing Yu becomes third female Para ice hockey player at Winter Games

There was a debut to remember on International Women's Day as People's Republic of China's Jing Yu became only the third woman in history to play in the Winter Paralympics ice hockey tournament.

Jing, who was on the ice for 5 minutes and 19 seconds in China's 6-0 victory over Italy, spoke about how she is aiming to inspire women with her historic feat.

"There are many girls in China who would like to join the sport and there are already many who play it," she said. "I am the representative of these female players in this team. I got the chance to play for the national team and be on this stage to show the power of Chinese women to the world."

Arthur Bauchet turns PyeongChang silver into Beijing gold

After a PyeongChang Games in which he stood on the podium four times but always on the second step, France's Arthur Bauchet finally tasted gold at Beijing 2022.

Despite suffering with intense muscular contractions at the Games, Bauchet won three golds and a bronze medal at just 21 years old. He announced his intentions on the very first day of competition, winning the downhill standing competition, following it up with another gold in the men's super combined standing just two days later. And to cap a brilliant Games, he put in another gold medal-winning performance in the men's slalom on the final day of Beijing 2022.

Linda Le Bon races the downhill with daughter as her guide

When an administrative issue left 57-year-old Belgian Para alpine skier Linda Le Bon without her usual guide, a last-minute replacement became one of the stories of the Games.

Le Bon's daughter, Ulla Gilot stepped in to guide her mother down the slopes to a sixth-place finish, and the world was treated to an unforgettable Paralympic moment.

"I’m very happy that I could [do] this with my daughter who is 22. My daughter is my new guide [only] since four days [ago] and we never skied together before but it was very great," Le Bon told Olympics.com after the race.

“In Lillehammer, I was faster but this was incredible.”

Carina Edlinger triumphs over adversity to win cross-country gold

Just two days before Austria's Carina Edlinger was due to compete in the women's cross-country skiing sprint event, she found herself unable to move her body, let alone race against the best athletes in the world. But after a remarkable recovery, Edlinger not only made it to the starting line, she also won a spectacular gold medal.

"A few days ago (on Monday), I was completely paralysed below the neck, lying on the wax cabin floor. That was one of the lowest points I've had in my sports life," said Edlinger.

"That's so far away from sports, when you should focus on something else, and I was questioning myself once again, 'Does it make sense that I'm still competing at such a level and not just focus on the health?' But the victory today was quite healing."

Johannes, Veronika and Barbara Aigner make Beijing 2022 a family affair

Talk about keeping it in the family.

It has been a spectacular Games for Austria's Aigner siblings, who have made the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics their very own. It all began with 16-year-old Johannes who, despite his young age, won gold in the men's downhill and men's giant slalom vision impaired events, in addition to two silvers and a bronze in the super combined, slalom and super-G respectively.

But that was just the beginning of the spectacular story of the Aigners. Sisters Veronika and Barbara both competed in the women's giant slalom vision impaired event, winning gold and bronze respectively before Veronika added a second gold in the slalom with Barbara taking home silver in the same event.

And as if all that wasn't enough for one family, Veronika was guided to gold by another of the clan, sister Elisabeth.

Oksana Masters' legend grows with Para biathlon gold

Beijing 2022 has been nothing short of a success for USA legend Oksana Masters. The multi-sports maestro, who is at home rowing and cycling in the Summer Games as she is competing in cross-country skiing in the winter edition, has once again flourished at Beijing 2022, becoming the USA's most decorated Winter Paralympian of all time with a total of 14 medals.

While there have been many memorable moments served up by the Ukrainian-born athlete, perhaps her greatest was the first-day gold she won in the biathlon women's sitting sprint. It was her fifth Paralympic gold medal and first of the Games for the USA.

Simpson brothers strike historic gold for Team GB

Neil Simpson made history at Beijing 2022 by becoming his country's first-ever gold medallist at the Paralympic Winter Games. And the best part of all, he did it alongside his brother.

Simpson's victory in the men's super-G vision impaired event was all the more special, as older brother Andrew guided him down the slopes.

"I still can't put it into words quite yet," said Neil after the race. "It's been quite a turnover the last couple of years with everything going on. I still can't believe it."

Natalie Wilkie wins seventh Paralympics medal at just 21 years old

After a PyeongChang 2018 Games in which the then 17-year-old finished with every colour medal available, Natalie Wilkie has once again taken the world of winter sports by storm with more gold medal-winning performances at Beijing 2022.

The 21-year-old Canadian's first golden moment was in the women's cross-country long distance classical technique standing event, where she skied to victory ahead of the USA's Sydney Peterson. She added another gold in the sprint free technique standing just two days later, following it up with silver in the middle distance free technique standing and bronze in the mixed relay to take her total Paralympic medal haul to seven.

Medal magnet Momoka Muraoka reigns supreme in Para alpine

Japan's Momoka Muraoka has a Games to remember - by anyone's standards. In the Para alpine competition, the 25-year-old has amassed three golds and a silver as she dominated the slopes in the women's sitting competition.

Gold medals in downhill, giant slalom and super-G in Beijing mean she easily surpassed her haul from PyeongChang where she won one gold, two silvers and one bronze.

And if all that wasn't impressive enough, she even participated in the Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Maxime Montaggioni goes it alone to win banked snowboard gold

France's Maxime Montaggioni let out a scream of delight when he won the men's banked slalom snowboard competition on Friday 11 March.

And no wonder, as the new Paralympic champion's gold saw him fend off the challenge of a host of People's Republic of China athletes who finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th in the competition.

“I feel (like I’m) on a cloud. Very smooth. The muscles have relaxed. It's difficult to stand in front of you. But it's a very cool sensation,” the 32-year-old, who was visibly moved after his win, said to Olympics.com

“For me, the work has paid off. That's good for the team, for the people I work with. It's incredible. I couldn't believe that it will be a gold.”

McKeever makes history with 16th gold medal

Brian McKeever skied his way into the history books with a jaw-dropping 16th Winter Paralympics gold medal, equalling the record for most-ever golds set by German para-alpine skiing great Gerd Schoenfelder.

McKeever swept his three individual events for the fourth Paralympics in a row, including the men's visually impaired 20 kilometre classical, 1.5km sprint, and 12.5km freestyle.

He has now amassed 20 podium finishes since his first appearance at the Games at Salt Lake City 2002.