Ukraine top Winter Paralympics medal table

Ukraine sit atop the Winter Paralympics medal table after claimed three gold medals on the first day of action in Beijing.

Biathlete Grygorii Vovchynskyi was first to top the podium for Ukraine as he took gold in the men's sprint standing event.

That was swiftly followed by gold in both the men's and women's sprint vision impaired event. Oksana Shyshkova came home first in the women's race while Vitaliy Lukianenko led a Ukrainian clean sweep of the medal in the men's.

In total Ukraine bagged seven medals on the opening day, with three silvers and a bronze added to the trio of gold medals.

For veteran Vovchynskyi, it was the seventh Paralympic medal of his career and afterwards he said: "I'm really proud that we have the Ukrainian podiums today, because it's really important for our country,"

Lukianenko echoed his sentiments, adding: "When war started in Ukraine, every day I was thinking about how I can help my people, my free country, my President, how I can support the team, how I can help.

"I tried thinking about the competition, but today it's difficult. What's more important is life, it's our people, our children."