7 Canadian athletes you should know for the Beijing Paralympics

Only five sports will be contested at the 2022 Beijing Paralympics, but there's no shortage of intriguing athletes.

Here are seven Canadian competitors worth keeping an eye on before the opening ceremony in China on March 4:

Canada's most decorated Winter Paralympian is back for one last hurrah.

McKeever, 42, announced in October 2020 that Beijing would be his sixth and final Games after a career featuring 17 medals, including a startling 13 gold.

"As much as I enjoy this, I have to face facts that I'm pretty old, with my beard getting longer and greyer every day — it's time," McKeever told Rocky Mountain Outlook upon making the announcement.

Perhaps the greatest achievement for the visually impaired athlete from Canmore, Alta., was when he was named to Canada's 2010 Olympic team, becoming the first Canadian named to both teams. However, he did not wind up competing at the Olympics.

Guided by Russell Kennedy and Graham Nishikawa, McKeever also owns 20 world titles and served as the opening ceremony flag-bearer in Pyeongchang.

Arendz is no stranger to the Paralympics, as Beijing will represent his fourth Games.

"There's a different feel, different atmosphere at each Games. Vancouver was at home, trying to get my feet wet. Sochi was a big turning point for me. It was where I wanted to perform. I left Sochi a little disappointed. … But there was a really good drive for the next four years which led into the third of Pyeongchang where there was big success," Arendz said.

It may be an understatement when the 31-year-old from Hartsville, P.E.I., refers to the 2018 Games as a "big success" — Arendz won a Canadian-record six medals in Korea, including one gold, to quadruple his career total to eight. He was rewarded with flag-bearing duties in the closing ceremony.

The quadrennial leading into Beijing was unique because of the pandemic, but Arendz said his experience in changing circumstances helped him focus on the positives that came with reduced travel.

"Now we could actually just go train, stay at home, be healthy and really just add to that base that's going to be critical come Beijing," he said.

Arendz claimed three podium finishes during the 2020 Para Nordic World Cup season.

At this point, Ouellet is a veteran of pandemic Paralympics.