Canada adds five medals at Beijing Paralympics, guaranteed another in hockey

Mollie Jepsen of West Vancouver won silver in the women’s giant slalom standing event, while Team Canada’s wheelchair curling team won bronze.

Canada won five medals at the Beijing Paralympics on Friday and is guaranteed another as its hockey team advanced to the gold-medal game.

Canadians have now won seven golds, four silvers, and 10 bronze, good for third in the overall medal count. China is first and Ukraine is second.

Mollie Jepsen of West Vancouver contributed her second medal of the Games to Canada’s medal count on Friday, taking silver in the women’s giant slalom standing event. She previously won gold at Beijing in the women’s downhill standing event.

“I don’t know if it’s fully set in that I have two medals yet,” said Jepsen, who has a total of six medals over her Paralympic career. “I had high expectations and goals going into this event.

“I’ve been mostly focused on giant slalom, super G and downhill the last few years so I’m glad I was able to showcase that versatility.”

Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., took silver in the men’s 12-kilometre individual standing biathlon, the 11th Paralympic medal of his decorated career.

“The medals mean that I’ve been consistent and that is definitely the key to biathlon,” said Arendz, who lost his left arm in an accident on the family farm when he was seven.

“I’ve been able to balance my strength in skiing and shooting, and I think that really shows by having a medal of each colour in all three events.”