Source: Radio New Zealand
Corey Peters was the defending champion from the Beijing Games four years ago. PHOTOSPORT
Four-time Paralympic medalist Corey Peters has finished out of the medals in the men’s downhill sitting in his first Winter Paralympic Games event at Milano Cortina.
The 42-year-old Kiwi was unable to defend the title he won in Beijing in 2022.
Peters made a couple of costly errors but twice managed to make a miraculous recovery to stay upright and record a time of 1:20.89.
“I feel disappointed. We work pretty hard over a number of years, and a lot of dedication and sacrifice goes into it. Unfortunately, conditions did not really gel with me today and I didn’t adapt,” Peters said, who was second out of the start gate.
“Fifth was definitely not what I was looking for with downhill being one of my better events.”
Norwegian Jesper Pedersen, the silver medallist from four years ago, produced a slick run down the Olimpia delle Tofane to register 1:18.14 to strike gold.
Niels de Langen of the Netherlands claimed silver – some 1.10 further back – with Canada’s Kurt Oatway filling the final podium spot in bronze (1:19.42).
Competing in warm temperatures of around 9C and softening snow conditions, 11 of the field of 23 registered DNF’s including Dutchman Jeroen Kampschreur, the quickest man in both training runs.
Peters continues his quest at the Milano Cortina Games when he competes in the Men’s Super-G Sitting on Monday.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
