Canada's Tyler Turner races to Para snowboard gold, Lisa DeJong adds silver

Two of Canada's Paralympic rookies, Tyler Turner and Lisa DeJong, claimed the country's first-ever Para snowboard medals on Monday in Beijing  — with gold and silver, respectively.

Turner, of Campbell River, B.C., dominated the men's Para snowboard cross SB-LL1 event.

On Saturday, the 33-year-old posted the fastest time in both qualifying runs. Turner also finished first in the quarter-final and semifinal races. 

American Mike Schultz was 1.53 seconds slower than the Canadian for silver. China's Wu Zhongwei completed the podium and was1.80 seconds shy of Turner's time.

"This is incredible. I don't even know if it's sunk in yet," Turner said after the race. "This is crazy. Four years ago I didn't even think I'd snowboard, and now standing on top of the podium, it's unbelievable."

WATCH l Tyler Turner collects Canada's 1st-ever Paralympic snowboard gold medal:

Turner impressed at the 2022 world Para snow sports championships in January with two gold medals and one bronze in his first world championship appearance.

"I felt no pressure. I started building some momentum through the season. At world champs, it all came together and then to finish it off here, I just stuck to the plan," Turner said.

"We say in Canada: 'pucks deep' — I got pucks deep, stuck to the game plan and here we are.

"It worked out for me."

DeJong wins Canada's 1st-ever Para snowboard medal

DeJong brought Canada its first Para snowboard medal with silver in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 final.

"I feel absolutely amazing. It was unexpected," the 32-year-old said. "Just to make it in the big final, I felt like I already did what I came here to do. To come in second is amazing."

WATCH l Lisa DeJong delivers Canada's 1st-ever Paralympic snowboard medal:

DeJong, of Biggar, Sask., was in second place when Brenna Huckaby, of the U.S., and Netherlands' Lisa Bunschoten, went down behind her.

"I didn't know they crashed. I just got in my zone and didn't look back. I just made my fastest and cleanest run," DeJong said.

Huckaby was able to finish the race to win bronze. France's Cécile Hernandez claimed gold with a time 0.88 seconds faster than DeJong's.

Fellow Canadian Alex Massie was ousted in the men's SB-LL2 semifinals after a third place finish. The top two competitors in each race advance to the next round. 

The 26-year-old from Barrie, Ont., finished second in the small final, a secondary event for racers ousted in the previous round. 

Sandrine Hamel, the other Canadian in medal contention, finished fourth in the women's SB-LL2 semifinal behind DeJong. Hamel also placed fourth in the small final.