08.03 Russia Wins First Gold Medal at Sochi Paralympics in Biathlon

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, March 8 (R-Sport) – Host nation Russia won its first gold medal at the Sochi Paralympics on Saturday with victory for Roman Petushkov in the men’s 7.5km sitting biathlon.

The 35-year-old Petushkov went one better than the silver he won in the 15km four years ago, winning by 8.2 seconds from Maksym Yarovyi of Ukraine.

Japan took its first medal of the Games as Kozo Kubo took bronze, 41.9 seconds off the pace. There was disappointment for four-time Paralympic gold medalist Irek Zaripov of Russia, who earned four penalty loops for missed shots and trailed in 10th.

The race used so-called “calculated time,” in which each athlete’s time is modified by a percentage reflecting the extent of their disability.