Winter Paralympic Games 2022: Neil Simpson and his brother Andrew clinch Team GB's first gold medal in Beijing
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ByEurosport
Updated 06/03/2022 at 08:52 GMT
Neil Simpson and his brother clinched Paralympic gold in the men's visually-impaired super-G which is the first gold medal Team GB have won at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics. Simpson, guided by his brother Andrew, finished nearly half a second clear (+0.40) of Italy's Giacomo Bertagnolli and his guide Andrea Ravelli. Simpson described the feeling of winning gold as "indescribable".
Team GB's Neil Simpson celebrates gold with guide and brother Andrew Simpson in the para alpine skiing men's super-G vision impaired
Image credit: Getty Images
Great Britain's Neil Simpson and his brother Andrew clinched Paralympic gold in the men's visually-impaired super-G in Beijing.
The 19-year-old, guided by his 21-year-old sibling, becomes Britain's third ever Winter Games gold medallist.
He is the first male to win Winter Paralympic Games gold, following Kelly Gallagher in 2014 and Menna Fitzpatrick in 2018.
The pair clocked a time of 1:08.91 which was half a second clear of the rest of the field.
"We went in with a clear game plan and it worked out pretty well," Simpson said.
"We put it all down on the line and really went for it and I'm just very happy with the performance - it felt good.
"I could tell it was quick but I didn't know how special it was. I'm just really thrilled, it's not really sunk in yet.
"Initially when we came down, there was a bit of an anxious wait. I wasn't thinking about it being a winning performance, I was just thinking that it was a good run.
"Andrew was shouting and screaming. I said, 'Yeah, maybe a podium'. It's just that wait. It's such a high - it's almost indescribable."
SILVER FOR FITZPATRICK
It was the second medal of the day for Britain after Fitzpatrick and her guide Gary Smith won silver in the women's race.
It is Fitzpatrick's fifth Paralympic medal which makes her Great Britain's most successful ever winter paralympian.
It's a remarkable achievement for Fitzpatrick who recovered from a broken leg in March 2020 while her guide Katie Guest was ruled out of the Games due to a positive Covid test.
"To be here at all is a great achievement, but then to stand up on that podium is absolutely amazing," Fitzpatrick said. "I'm so proud of what we've achieved together.
"We went out to ski well and build on the day before and we are super, super happy."
Millie Knight, who won bronze in the women's downhill on Saturday, came fourth and was just 0.09 seconds off third.
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