Salmon Arm's Natalie Wilkie added another gold medal to her growing collection after three days of racing in the IBU (International Biathlon Union) Para Biathlon World Championships.
Wilkie was one of several Team Canada skiers to medal in the event which took place Feb. 4-9. in Pokljuka, in the Julian Alps of Solvenia. Her podium finish was earned in the women's standing 12.5-kilometre event, which she finished in 40 minutes and 2.3 seconds, having missed one of 20 shooting targets along the way. Hot on Wilkie's heels were China's Zhao Zhiqing, who finished in 40:40.8, and Oleksandra Kononova of Ukraine, who took third with a time of 40:46.9.
"I definitely felt the intensity of the race,’’ said Wilkie in a Nordiq Canada/ Canadian Paralympic Committee media release. ‘’Unfortunately, I had a miss in the first round, and I honestly thought I was out of the race at that point. But with four shooting stages, I told myself not to give up.
"In the final round shooting I heard Kononova miss and I just focused on putting my head down and skiing until my vision started to blur. It all turned out really well for me."
Wilkie's teammate Mark Arendz, from Hartsville, PEI, took gold in the men's 12.5-km standing, while fellow Team Canada skier Derek Zaplotinsky in the men’s sitting 12.5-km event.
Next, the Canadian Para Nordic team will be in Toblach, Italy, for the Para Cross-Country Skiing World Championships which run Wednesday to Friday this week.
In December 2024, Wilkie won three gold medals, a silver and a bronze in the World Cup at Vuokatti, Finland.
