With this victory in the medium distance event (visually impaired category), he equals the record of former German para-alpine skier Gerd Schönfelder, the most successful Paralympian among men.
Norwegian para-skier Ragnhild Myklebust is still the athlete with the most gold medals at the Paralympic Winter Games: 22 out of five editions between 1988 and 2002.
At the Zhangjiakou Nordic ski site, Brian McKeever, 42, had already won two titles this week in cross-country skiing (sprint and long distance).
He made his Paralympic debut in Salt Lake City in 2002. The Beijing Games are the last of his career.
After reaching Schönfelder's record, the Canadian cross-country skier was humbled.
"To be completely honest, it doesn't have any particular meaning," he said.
"If there is a record, so much the better. But it was never a source of motivation."
On the other hand, he said he was proud to demonstrate the level that Paralympic athletes can reach.
"All the heavy lifting we do in the offseason. And we enjoy it. We like getting lost in the mountains and sometimes having to bring our butts home after 10 hours of effort," Brian McKeever said. .
He will have the opportunity on Sunday to win a 17th relay medal.
German Linn Kazmaier in the wake of her guide Florian Baumann during the medium distance cross-country ski race (visually impaired category) of the Paralympic Games on March 12, 2022 in Zhangjiakou Lillian SUWANRUMPHA AFP
family affair
Still in medium-distance cross-country skiing, but in the women's category, it was the very young German Linn Kazmaier (15) who won gold in the visually impaired category.
As for the Ukrainians, they continued their harvest of medals, despite the war: cross-country skiers Oleksandra Kononova and Iryna Bui finished in gold and bronze over the middle distance (standing category).
In wheelchair curling, China retained their title on Saturday at the expense of Sweden (8-3).
On Friday night, Canada secured bronze against Slovakia, winning their match by the same score.
Canadian curlers have never missed a medal since Turin 2006.
China, which started from almost nothing a few years ago in para-skiing, continued its demonstration on Saturday.
In the long middle distance, the Chinese won seven medals out of a possible 18, including the titles of Wang Chenyang (standing category / men), Mao Zhongwu (sitting / men) and Yang Hongqiong (sitting / women).
The Chinese also brought home three new alpine accolades thanks to the slalom.
A test where three Austrian sisters found themselves on the same podium in the visually impaired category.
19-year-old Veronika Aigner won her second Paralympic title in two days, guided by her 23-year-old sister Elisabeth.
Their little sister Barbara, 16, won the silver.
Three athletes in the family have congenital cataracts.
"Relieved"
On the French side, cross-country skier Benjamin Daviet won silver in the middle distance (standing category).
He thus pocketed a new medal at these Games, after gold in cross-country skiing (sprint) and biathlon (individual).
Austrian Veronika Aigner and her guide, her sister Elisabeth Aigner, during the giant slalom medal ceremony (visually impaired category) of the Paralympic Games on March 12, 2022 in Yanqing WANG Zhao AFP
Disappointment on the other hand for the star of alpine para-skiing Marie Bochet: she ended her Paralympic career with a fall in the slalom event, ending a difficult Games.
"I'm a little relieved it's over," said the eight-time Paralympic gold medalist, who did however win the Super-G silver in Beijing.
"I think these Games also showed me that it was really over."
In the standings, China is still well ahead (58 medals including 18 gold), ahead of Ukraine (28 including 10 gold), Canada (23 including 8 gold) and France (10 including 6 Golden).
On Saturday evening, the host country faces South Korea for the bronze medal in sledge hockey.
Canada will try their luck for gold against the United States the following day.
The Games end on Sunday with the closing ceremony held at Beijing's Olympic Stadium, the "Bird's Nest".
© 2022 AFP