08.03 Sochi Paralympics: Japan's Kano Takes Downhill Gold

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, March 8 (R-Sport) – Japanese skier Akira Kano won Sochi Paralympic gold in a men's sitting downhill event that was marred by several heavy crashes Saturday.

It is the second Paralympic success for the 27-year-old, who won super G event in Vancouver. Canada's Josh Dueck finished second, 0.39 seconds behind the winner, while bronze also went to Japan, as Takeshi Suzuki lost 0.95 seconds to his more decorated compatriot.

The competition was stopped several times as athletes crashed out on the Rosa Khutor slope, most notably U.S. athlete Tyler Walker, who had to be airlifted to hospital.

The 27-year-old cartwheeled multiple times after crashing and lay motionless on the snow before receiving attention from medical staff. Among the other skiers who failed to finish was three-time Paralympic medalist Taiki Morii of Japan.

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

Earlier in the day, Spain's Jon Santacana successfully defended his Paralympic title in the visually impaired class.

Two-time world champion Markus Salcher of Austria denied Russian prodigy Alexey Bugaev the gold in the men's standing discipline, beating him by just 0.06 seconds.

In the women's events, the favorites dominated as Slovakian skier Henrieta Farkasova blew away the opposition to win the visually impaired event, France's Marie Bochet won the standing category, while Germany's Anna Schaffelhuber edged out her rivals in the sitting downhill ski event.

One of the main alpine skiing hopes for the host nation, Alexandra Frantseva, finished third 4.23 seconds behind Farkasova, while her younger brother Ivan failed to to repeat her success, finishing ninth in the same men's event.

Over the nine days of competition in Sochi, a total of 72 gold medals will be awarded in five sports.