Canadian Para biathlete Mark Arendz races to 3rd straight gold at world championships

Canada's Mark Arendz struck gold for the third time in three events at the Para Biathlon World Championships in Prince George, B.C.

The Paralympic veteran from Hartsville, P.E.I., won the men's standing sprint pursuit final on Saturday to remain undefeated in Para biathlon races this season. Arendz topped the podium with a time of 11 minutes 18.9 seconds at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club for Canada's sixth medal of the inaugural competition.

Ukraine's Serhii Romaniuk (11:48.3) finished one spot behind Arendz for the second time this week, while three-time Paralympic gold medallist Benjamin Daviet took bronze in 12:05.8.

Arendz, a two-time Paralympic biathlon champion, won the standing sprint on Wednesday and the standing individual on Thursday. The 12-time Paralympic medallist entered the world championships with momentum after a golden sweep at the World Cup in Toblach, Italy last month.

Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., finished fourth in the women's standing sprint pursuit later Saturday, just 8.1 seconds behind bronze medallist Oleksandra Kononova of Ukraine. The Ukrainians swept the podium, with Bohdana Konashuk (12:26.5) capturing gold ahead of Liudmyla Liashenko (12:41.9).

The 23-year-old Wilkie opened the week with sprint gold before adding individual bronze.

Smoky Lake, Alta., native Derek Zaplotinsky also finished one spot shy of the podium in the men's sitting sprint pursuit, his second fourth-place result in Prince George. Zaplotinsky's time of 13:10.1 was narrowly beaten by American Aaron Pike (13:03.7)

Ukraine's Taras Rad won gold in 11:11.8 and Kazakhstan's Yerbol Khamitov finished second (12:23.2).

The Para Biathlon World Championships conclude Sunday with the team sprint. Canada's Para biathletes return to action at Caledonia next week for the World Cup finals, running March 13-17.