Paralympics: US top medal tally after Day 1

France and the Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) tied for second place with two gold and one silver medals apiece.

The NPA refers to Russian para-athletes in PyeongChang as Russians were banned from competing under its tiol flag for the alleged state-sponsored doping scandal. During the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February, Russian athletes were allowed under the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) banner. Ukraine, Cada, Germany, Slovakia, and Switzerland each won a gold on the first day to join the three winter sports powerhouses atop the medal table.

All of Saturday's medals came from skiing -- alpine skiing and biathlon -- on which six gold medals were up for grabs respectively.

The US team, the biggest at the Winter Paralympics with 69 athletes, was at the head with unexpected victories of the biathlon combining skiing and shooting. The U.S. duo of Daniel Cnossen and Kendall Gretsch, which had never won a race before, both claimed gold in the sitting event.

Gretsch finished first in the women's sit ski. Oksa Masters of the United States won silver, beating Lidzia Hrafeyeva of Belarus who took the bronze.

Cnossen, a former U.S vy Seal, came first in the men's sit ski. The silver went to Dzmitry Loban, the husband and coach of Hrafeyeva, making it a double success for Belarus and the family. Collin Cameron of Cada took bronze, which was also unpredicted. IANS