Canada totals 26 medals, including four gold, in Beijing’s Winter Olympics

BEIJING – Canada capped the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Sunday with 26 medals — four gold, eight silver and 14 bronze.

With medals from the men’s hockey final between Russia and Finland and the women’s cross-country 30k still be to tallied Sunday, Canada ranked fourth among countries in total medals, and was 11th in gold.

Twenty-six medals tied for second-best by a Canadian team, equalling the number in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. in 2010, although the host team won 14 gold there.

“Completely satisfied with that performance,” Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive officer David Shoemaker said Sunday. “I think that puts us in the company that we always aspire to compete with.

“Let’s not gloss over how difficult these last two years were for Team Canada that in my estimation had to endure the most restrictive COVID protocols of any nation.”

A 27th medal in the future is a possibility in figure skating’s team event. Canada in fourth could move up if Russia is disqualified from gold for a doping infraction.

Canada claimed a record 29 medals, including 11 gold, four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Pilot Justin Kripps and crewmen Ben Coakwell, Ryan Sommer and Cam Stones earned bronze in four-man bobsled Sunday for Canada’s 26th medal.