CTVOlympics.ca
March 18, 2010

Bourgonje adds a bronze in sitting cross-country ski race

Decorated Paralympian Colette Bourgonje added a second medal to her 2010 collection on Thursday, earning bronze in the women's 5km sitting cross-country ski race at Whistler Paralympic Park.

After grabbing a silver medal in Monday's 10 km sitting event, the 48-year-old from Saskatoon, Sask., was headed for the podium once again on Thursday by finishing third in a time of 15:16.4 behind first-place Liudmila Vauchok of Belarus (14:56.6) and second-place Andrea Eskau of Germany.

She became Canada's first Paralympic medallist on home soil on Monday.

This is the tenth Paralympic medal for Bourgonje, who has competed in nine different Games, starting in Albertville in 1992. This is her sixth Winter Games; and she has also participated in three Summer Games in wheelchair athletics.

In the men's 10 km sitting event, Russia's Irek Zaripov grabbed his fourth gold medal of the 2010 Games. He won the race in 27:12.1 ahead of second-place Enzo Masiello of Italy (28:21.1), and Dmitry Loban of Belarus (28:25.1). Zaripov also won two gold medals in biathlon and another in the 12.5 km sitting cross-country race.

Lou Gibson was Canada's top finisher in the event, placing 29th. Sebastien Fortier was 33rd.