Winter Paralympics preview: Para cross-country skiing closing day

Mixed and open relays conclude the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games programme at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre on Sunday 12 Mar 2022
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A woman crosses the finish line with raised hands and two sticks in them as the team cheers her on.
Team Ukraine is the reigning Paralympic and world champion in the mixed relay coming to Beijing to collect another gold.
ⒸNaomi Baker/Getty Images
By World Para Snow Sports

The last two sets of medals will be up for grabs at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre on Sunday (13 March), closing day of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

The mixed relay 4x2.5km opens the programme with eight teams in action followed by the open relay 4x2.5km with 12 nations in search of the last podium.

Here is all you need to know about the Para cross-country skiing action!

MIXED RELAY

Team Ukraine is the favourite to take the gold medal in the mixed relay event at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. They are the defending Paralympic champions, as well as world champions from Lillehammer 2021 in January.

Oleksandra Kononova will be leading her teammates on the road to a new Paralympic glory alongside Taras Rad, Iryna Bui and Pavlo Bal. Kononova already picked a Para cross-country skiing gold in the women's middle-distance standing race.

Canada finished second four years ago with Germany in third. Mark Arendz, Emily Young and Natalie Wilkie will be part of the Canadian quartet again alongside Colin Cameron.

The Germans do not have any athlete from PyeongChang 2018 with Anja Wicker, Leonie Maria Walter, Marco Maier and Nico Messinger. USA's star Oksana Masters will be in search of her final medal in China.

OPEN RELAY

Hosts China will be in search of a final medal in Para cross-country skiing facing strong opposition from defending champions France, led by Benjamin Daviet.

While the French team opted for two athletes taking two races each - with Anthony Chalencon alongside Daviet -, others like Norway will compete with a mixed team. Women's sprint and middle-distance standing world champion Vilde Nilsen is included in the quartet that took silver in PyeongChang.

Canada finished with the bronze medal at PyeongChang 2018 and will be in search of gold to mark Paralympic legend Brian McKeever's farewell to the Games.

The Para cross-country skier will be targeting his 17th gold medal to become the most-decorated winter Paralympian of all times.

Live results from Beijing 2022 will be available on Paralympic.org. You can follow all the action, behind the scenes and news on World Para Snow Sports social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.