Slovakia's Henrieta Farkasova won the first gold medal of the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics on Saturday in women's vision impaired downhill skiing. Farkasova and her guide Natalia Subrtova finished in 1min, 29.72 sec, beating second-placed Millie Knight of Britain and her guide Brett Wild by 0.86 sec. It was the Slovakian's sixth Paralympic gold in vision impaired skiing. Belgium's Eleonor took the bronze medal, finishing the course in 1min, 31.60 sec.

The Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics were officially opened on Friday night with a glittering ceremony, that included fireworks and light shows. North Korea took centre stage at the ceremony. Pyongyang is sending its first ever athletes, two cross-country skiers, to take part in a Winter Paralympics, the last stage of rapprochement with the South that began at last month's Winter Olympics. McKeever, sporting Team Canada gear and a wide smile, walked into the stadium with 54 other Canadian athletes, the country's largest-ever Winter Paralympics contingent.

"I'm so thrilled to see Brian chosen as our flag-bearer," said CBC commentator Stephanie Dixon, a 19-time Paralympic medallist. "He is an incredible leader and role model for all of our Canadian athletes, and as he's heading towards the end of his career, this is just an incredible, incredible opportunity for Brian to reflect upon his career," she said about the 38-year-old. Canada has won 135 Winter Paralympics medals, including 43 gold, since the inaugural Games in Sweden in 1976.