By Nick Butler

Brian McKeever, pictured with guide Erik Carleton, during Sochi 2014 has no plans to hang up his skis ©Getty ImagesCanada's 10-time Paralympic champion skier Brian McKeever has no desire to hang up his skis in the wake of his triple gold medal success earlier this year at Sochi 2014, and is instead targeting "steady progression" next season, he has claimed.


Competing in cross-country skiing, the 35-year-old visually impaired veteran won two gold medals and a silver at his first Games in Salt Lake City in 2002, before taking two further golds along with a bronze medal four years later in Turin.

He then won three gold medals on home snow in Vancouver, before taking another three gold medals in the 10 kilometres free, 20km classic and 1km sprint free events in Sochi. 

But, despite some speculation that Sochi could have been his last Games, the Canadian is as hungry as ever to add to his medal haul, he has insisted, and may even compete in some able-bodied events to further test himself against opposition of the highest calibre. 

But he plans to do this by persevering with tried and tested training methods, rather than by making wholesale changes. 

"People talk about making giant leaps forward and that doesn't happen," McKeever said.

"You just got to concentrate on making improvements all the time and avoid sliding back and I'd say we're in a good space right now.

"Certainly anytime somebody seems to bite off more than they can chew it's when they get screwed so we are going to do our best to avoid that and continue our steady progression forward."

Brian McKeever en route to gold at his first Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002 ©Getty ImagesBrian McKeever en route to gold at his first Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002 ©Getty Images







Although Pyeongchang 2018 could still be the long-term target, McKeever's next aim will be the 2015 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Championships, due to take place from January 22 until February 1 in Cable, Wisconsin.

McKeever has also expressed how Sochi 2014 was made all the sweeter by the success of his teammates.

Canada finished in third place in the overall medals table in Sochi, with a total of 16 medals - of which seven were gold, with Chris Klebl securing a fourth cross country gold in the 10km sitting event. 

"Mark Arendz started us off with a silver medal [men's 7.5km biathlon standing]," said McKeever.

"He is such a talent for our team and it brought everyone really tight together and raises everybody's game for the future.

"If you got a young guy coming in focussed and ready to go and then producing results then gets everyone going.

"Seeing Chris Klebl walk out of the Games with a gold medal in the 10k [men's 10km cross-country sitting] was an absolute highlight for all of us because we know how hard he works and to put it together on the last day under the gun was fantastic."

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