Slovakia's Farkasova wins first gold of Winter Paralympics

lovakia's Henrieta Farkasova won the main gold decoration of the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics Saturday in ladies' vision debilitated downhill skiing, while the USA got off to great begin with triumphs in the biathlon. 

Farkasova and her guide Natalia Subrtova completed in 1min 29.72 sec, beating second-set Millie Knight of Britain and her guide Brett Wild by 0.86 sec. 

Farkasova hailed her triumph as "awesome, astonishing", including: "Ideally we can rouse through our accomplishments and (show) others to endeavor and put forth a valiant effort." 

It was the Slovakian's 6th Paralympic gold in vision debilitated skiing. Belgium's Eleonor Sana took the bronze decoration, completing the course in 1min 31.60 sec. 

In the biathlon - which consolidates skiing and shooting - USA took gold and silver in the ladies' sit ski, with Kendall Gretcsch starting things out and Oskana Masters second. 

American Daniel Cnossen, a previous US Navy Seal, took gold in the men's sit ski. The USA has the greatest group at the Winter Paralympics with 69 competitors. 

Gretsch said her triumph was "truly startling". 

"It's my first Paralympics, first race, so it's only an awesome method to commence the week and ideally (there's) more to come," she said. 

There were likewise triumphs for France - with Marie Bochet taking gold in the ladies' standing downhill skiing - and Germany, with skier Anna Schaffelhuber winning in the ladies' sitting. 

The Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics were authoritatively opened on Friday night with a sparkling service, that included firecrackers and light shows. 

North Korea became the overwhelming focus at the service. 

Pyongyang is sending its first since forever competitors, two crosscountry skiers, to partake in a Winter Paralympics, the last phase of rapprochement with the South that started finally month's Winter Olympics.