Canada claims 3 golds on opening day of Para Biathlon World Cup in Italy
Zaplotinsky, Hudak, Arendz steal the show, topping the podium in Val di Fiemme
Canadians dominated on the opening day of the Para Biathlon World Cup, securing three gold medals in the sprint pursuit events in Val di Fiemme, Italy, on Wednesday.
Derek Zaplotinsky of Smoky Lake, Alta., not only delivered Canada's first gold of the day, but also claimed his first-ever Para Biathlon World Cup victory.
Competing in the men's sitting category, the 39-year-old finished the 4-kilometreĀ race in 11:42.3, holding off Yerbol Khamitov from Kazakhstan by just seven seconds. Zixu Liu from China took bronze, finishing nearly half a minute behind.
"Everything just came together today,"Ā Zaplotinsky said after the victory.
"I was able to hit all my targets, and all the training I put in over the summer really paid off."
IBU Para Biathlon World Cup - Paralympic Test Event <a href="https://twitter.com/milanocortina26?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@milanocortina26</a> š„<br><br>Day 1 in Val Di Fiemme is in the books - with <a href="https://twitter.com/NordiqCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NordiqCanada</a> winning 3 of the 6 competitions today š„ <br><br> š· Vanzetta/IBU <a href="https://twitter.com/markarendz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markarendz</a><br><br>Check out our recap to get up to date! š
—@biathlonworldWith the 2026 Winter ParalympicsĀ on the horizon, the win couldn't have come at a better time for Zaplotinsky, who is still chasing his first Paralympic medal.
"This win gives me a lot of confidence heading into next year. I'm really looking forward to the Games," the two-time Paralympian said.
With Canada already on the board, Brittany Hudak ensured the momentum continued in the women's standing category, delivering a comeback win.
Starting the pursuit in third place, the Prince Albert, Sask., native remained steady under pressure and overtook Ukraine's Iryna Bui and China's Zhiqing Zhao, who had led at the halfway mark but missed five costly shots in the final round.
The 31-year-oldĀ seized the opportunity and crossed the finishĀ line in aĀ 15:34.1 time, 12 seconds ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics gold medallist Bui to claim her first win of the season.
Competing in difficult conditions, Hudak credited her ability to stay focused in the rain and deliver when it mattered most.
"I really tried to focus on my own process and my own raceĀ ... It's a great way to start this competition,"Ā HudakĀ said.
Later, Mark Arendz, of Hartsville, P.E.I., completedĀ the golden Canadian hat trick on the day.
The 34-year-old put together a near-flawless race in the men's standing category, hitting every target in both the sprint and pursuit, leaving his competitors with little chance to challenge him.
As the third Canadian to top the podium on opening day, Arendz showed that the team's supportive atmosphere is a big reason for itsĀ success.
"What a fantastic day for Canadians," saidĀ the four-time Paralympian.
"Seeing Derek get his first win was really exciting, then Brittany's comeback was just incredible. We know we're in the right groove."
With World Championship races coming up from Feb. 4-9 in Pokljuka, Slovenia, ArendzĀ said he seesĀ his win as a stepping stone to bigger goals.
"We're aiming to carry this momentum into the back-to-back world championship races next week, and this was a great opportunity to see where we're at."
