Banchory brothers Neil and Andrew Simpson were thrilled to create history by clinching gold in the Super-G vision-impaired class in Beijing.
The success was Great Britain’s first male Paralympic gold on snow with 19-year-old Neil and guide Andrew delivering a dazzling performance at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre.
Neil Simpson becomes Great Britain’s third-ever Winter Games gold medallist following Kelly Gallagher in 2014 and Menna Fitzpatrick in 2018.
He says it was a proud moment to top the podium with his brother Andrew, 21, as his guide.
He said: “It’s very special, we’ve been skiing together for quite a while, and growing up together, it just makes it really special.
“For me it definitely helps having Andrew with me, you are able to be very clear and concise in what you want, even direct and blunt sometimes, so you can get feedback across a lot easier.
“You don’t have to beat around the bush so that definitely helps, we grew up together so we know what each other is thinking anyway.
“I am just really thrilled, it’s not really sunk in yet. This is our first season doing Super-G.
“Initially when we came down and Andrew said we had gone in to first place, there was a bit of an anxious wait.
“I wasn’t thinking about it being a winning performance, I was just thinking that it was a good run.
“We put it all down on the line and really went for it and I’m just very happy with the performance – it felt good.”
They crossed the line in a time of 1:08.91 to spark scenes of celebration in Beijing and Banchory.
He said: “We spoke to the family at the end once we were in the finish area.
“They’ve got a few family friends round tonight as well as it’s the weekend, so they’re absolutely ecstatic.
“We’re absolutely delighted. We were really happy with how the ski went.
“When we crossed the line we were happy and to see the time, when it paid off, it was amazing.”
Neil, who competes in the B3 classification category after being born with nystagmus – a condition that causes involuntary eye movement – added: “We couldn’t quite believe it – I could tell the run was quick but I didn’t know it was something special.
“I’m really happy with how we skied – we really attacked the course, which was our game plan from the inspection.
“I didn’t think a gold medal was on the cards – we were just trying to deliver performances but to win a gold makes me really, really happy.”
The Simpsons came into the Games with red-hot momentum and delivered when it mattered when the pressure was on.
They claimed Super Combined silver at January’s World Championships in Lillehammer but few would have tipped them as genuine Super-G – an event with more technical emphasis – contenders on the outskirts of the Chinese capital.
But they completed a stirring display to topple Italian Giacomo Bertagnolli by 0.4s and clamber to the summit of the Paralympic podium.
It could still get better for the duo too, with a shot at their favoured Super Combined event beckoning on Monday at the same venue.
Andrew added: “If either of us make a mistake it could end up injuring both of us, so trust is very important.
“I’m absolutely delighted, it’s something I never thought was going to happen when we first started this at all.
“We spend all the time together, especially here – we share a room, go to meals together, but it means we know exactly what each other want and need.”
Meanwhile, Menna Fitzpatrick became Britain’s most successful Winter Paralympian, taking silver in the women’s Super-G vision-impaired class for her fifth career medal.
Fitzpatrick’s fifth medal put her out on her own as Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian.
And she pulled off her silver medal without regular guide and Aberdeen Unversity student Katie Guest, who could not travel to China after a positive Covid test.
“I am feeling absolutely amazing. I can’t quite believe it, we just wanted to build on the day before and we are super, super happy,” said Fitzpatrick.
“I am so happy to be the most decorated ParalympicsGB Winter athlete. That is not what we came out to do today, though, we went out to ski well, so to come out with a silver medal and a pretty amazing title as well means we are delighted.”
