Chaos reigns as Scott Meenagh gets his Paralympics underway

Chaos reigned as Scott Meenagh got his Milano Cortina campaign underway with his children watching on for a third and final Winter Paralympics.

The Scot finished 23rd in the Para biathlon men’s sprint sitting final in 24:54.3 after a fall at the start caused him to lose time before the sunny conditions provided tricky terrain to surmount a comeback.

Having only shown improvement on the World Cup circuit since his last Games in Beijing, Meenagh would have hoped for a stronger showing but even his difficulties out on the snow could not wipe the smile off his face.

“Biathlon is one of those sports with chaos everywhere, for me unfortunately today that was from second one of the race,” he reflected.

“It was about getting out there, trying to come in with a bit of clarity, confidence, a smile on my face, which I was able to do.

“I wasn’t able to keep the execution levels as high as I’d have liked them to be but I’ve said from day one, to do this sport effectively you have to be comfortable in chaos.”

As Meenagh went to move into the pre-made track at the start of the course, he caught an edge and fell but was quick to bounce back and continue.

But with spring well and truly beginning in northern Italy, the conditions on the snow also made life difficult for the 36-year-old.

“The course is breaking down really quickly. It was very slushy, very soft, and what is normally a fast and furious race became a bit of a slugfest,” Meenagh explained.

“But that’s the sport, the conditions change constantly, we don’t have gears or other ways we can modify our performance, we have to regulate our own energy.

“It became more of a slog than a sprint.”

Meenagh is back in action in the men’s individual sitting event tomorrow, leaving no time to linger on mistakes and every opportunity to still claim that elusive Paralympic medal.

But regardless of fulfilling that aim, Meenagh’s friends and family will be watching on to give him a fitting send off at his final Games.

“It’s spectacular. Coming into my third Paralypmic Games is something truly special,” he said.

“At the last one, I didn’t have my kids or family here, but now I’m in a nice place and they are here. I want to go out and perform at the highest level I can and leave on a real high. But having them here is the real victory.”