China's Yang wins Para cross-country women's long distance sitting at Beijing 2022

CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou -- China's Para cross-country skier Yang Hongqiong clinched the women's long distance sitting gold in a narrow win over American star Oksana Masters at the Beijing Winter Paralympics here on Sunday.

Paralympic debutant Yang, 32, finished the 15km race in 43 minutes and 6.7 seconds, followed by Masters, also 32, in 43:38.3 and China's Li Panpan in 45:17.0.

It is China's fifth gold at the ongoing Beijing Winter Paralympic Games.

Masters, who had swept eight gold medals in the sprint, middle, and long distance sitting events at world championships since 2017, was crowned in the Para biathlon women's sprint sitting here on Saturday.