Scot second in men’s visually impaired alpine combined
ParalympicsGB mixed curlers lose to Italy in fifth defeat
Great Britain won their first medal of the Winter Paralympics on Tuesday as Neil Simpson imposed himself on a stacked field to claim silver in the men’s visually impaired alpine combined.
Finishing second behind the home favourite Giacomo Bertagnolli, but ahead of Austria’s Johannes Aigner, who has won two gold medals at these Games, Simpson found the form the British team had been hoping for as he recorded a leading time in the final slalom race to pull himself up from fourth place in the standings.
Tension had been rising inside ParalympicsGB after the first three days of competition saw British athletes repeatedly fall short, including Simpson who came fourth in the downhill on Monday after winning gold in Beijing four years ago. Earlier on Tuesday there had been further disappointment when Menna Fitzpatrick came last in the women’s VI combined. But with Britain now on the board thanks to the 23-year-old Simpson, there will be renewed confidence going into the remainder of the week.
