Paralympic wake-up call: Canada kickstarts Beijing Games with a medal of each colour

Canadian athletes wasted no time getting their hands on medals, collecting honours of all colours on Day one of competition at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Alpine skier Mollie Jepsen of West Vancouver, B.C., secured Canada's first gold medal by completing the women's standing downhill in one minute 21.75 seconds.

The 22-year-old capitalized on eight-time Paralympic gold medallist Marie Bochet of France not finishing the race, having lost one of her skis seconds into the event.

It was the dream start for Jepsen's second Paralympics, having claimed one gold, one silver and two bronze in PyeongChang 2018. Months after those Games, she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, making a full recovery since.

WATCH l Jepsen captures gold for Canada's 1st Paralympics medal of Beijing 2022:

Two other decorated Canadian Paralympians made sure it wouldn't end with Jepsen's gold.

Mac Marcoux of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., collected his sixth medal over now three Games with a silver on the men's visually impaired downhill race.

The 22-year-old, who won the same event at PyeongChang 2018, posted a time of one minute 13.81 seconds in his first race in over two years.

The long break was caused by injuries and pandemic-related cancellations.

WATCH l Marcoux claims silver in downhill visually impaired:

Shortly after, Mark Arendz struck bronze in the men's Para biathlon 6-kilometre sprint standing event for his ninth overall Paralympic medal.

The 32-year-old Hartsville, P.E.I., native overcame two shooting penalties to finish with a time of 18 minutes 8 seconds.

Arendz kept his Paralympic momentum going from four years ago, having captured a medal in every event he competed in at PyeongChang 2018.

Mark