McKeever, who had a 29-second delayed start in the visually impaired event, double-poled his way up the hills and left his guide - brother Robin - behind as he flew past the other three contenders to take gold at 3min 42.9sec.

Russia’s Nikolay Polukhin, and guide Andrey Tokarev, took silver, while Swede Zebastien Modin, guided by Albin Ackerot, beat out Germany’s Frank Hofle for the bronze.

The others had started earlier because their visual disabilities are more extreme.

McKeever, controversially left out of Canada's Olympic cross-country team last month after he thought he had already been selected, grinned wildly as he crossed the line.

He said: "That was definitely a lot of fun.

"It was a tough race and we had a good strategy.

"We played our cards the way we wanted to."

McKeever had gained Canada's first gold of these Games when he won the 20km freestyle on Monday and then added the 10km classic on Thursday.

He said: "That was what we were hoping for coming in.

"That 20km was the hardest but the best effort by us as a team.

"The 10km was hard; I really struggled so [Robin] got me through it.

"Today was just really fun."

McKeever has now won a total of seven Paralympic gold medals having claimed four in Turin four years ago.

He received a personal message of congratulations afterwards from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Harper said: "Brian McKeever’s hard work and determination have been fittingly rewarded, and this gold medal confirms that he ranks among the world’s best.

"I offer my warmest congratulations on this outstanding performance by a very talented athlete."


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