China wins wheelchair curling gold for first-ever Winter Paralympic medal

China won the wheelchair curling gold medal for its first-ever Winter Paralympic medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Games on Saturday.

Gold medalists China's Wang Haitao, Chen Jianxin, Liu Wei, Wang Meng and Zhang Qiang (L to R) celebrate on the podium during the awarding ceremony for wheelchair curling at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games at Gangneung, South Korea, March 17, 2018. China beat Norway in the final 6-5 to claim the title of the event, which is also China's first-ever Winter Paralympic medal with gold. [Photo: Xinhua]

The Chinese team exploited an extra end to beat world champion Norway 6-5 in the final for its first-ever medal, and even a gold, in the history of the Winter Paralympic Games.

China, which finished fourth at the Sochi Winter Paralympics four years ago, defeated defending champion Canada in the semifinal on Friday, after an outstanding 9-2 win-loss sheet from the round robin games.

"We just cheered each other on throughout the game and I tried to do my best. Maybe that's the reason why we could get the gold medal," said China's skip Wang Haitao.

"China, my country, is very important for me, so hearing the national anthem was a very special moment. It's the first medal for China in the Winter Paralympic Games, and I think it is pretty big," said Wang.

China's Meng Wang pushes a stone during the Wheelchair Curling Gold Medal Game between the China and Norway at the Gangneung Hockey Centre during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Paralympic Games on March 17, 2018. [Photo: VCG]

Skipped by Wang, China opened its scoring with two points in the first end, together with third Chen Jianxin, second Liu Wei, lead Wang Meng. They were supported by alternate Zhang Qiang and coach Yue QingShuang.

Norway scored a single point in the second end, added two more in the third through a rare mistake from Wang who then levelled the scores in the fourth end with a hit for one point.

The second half turned much more tense, with Norway blanking the fifth and hitting for a single point in the sixth.

China's Liu Wei (front) competes during the wheelchair curling final against Norway at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games at Gangneung, South Korea, March 17, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

In the seventh end, the Chinese team scored two points, taking a 5-4 lead into the eighth where Norway only added one to force an extra end.

The Chinese team then displayed their stunning form as Chen, the third player, made a precise draw around six guards to sit in the four-foot as shot stone, which Norway failed to clear with its last two attempts, awarding China its first-ever gold medal in the Winter Paralympic Games.