Team Gushue setting sights on another Olympic win
The world's best curlers are back in St. John's for a hometown welcome Wednesday night at Bally Haly
It's been an exciting couple of months for the world's best curling team, but Team Gushue isn't done just yet.
"I reevaluate my goals every year and, for me, I want to get back to the Olympics now," Brad Gushue, who won Olympic gold with his team in 2006, told CBC News Wednesday.
"I'm certain I'll go another cycle and give it another crack, and that's the next goal on my agenda."
Gushue is the first skip in history to win a world junior title, an Olympic gold medal, a Brier and a world championship.
"Growing up as a curler, the Brier ... that's what you wanted to win," second Mark Nichols said.
"And we've been oh-so close a few times, and it just seems like the storybook wrote itself this time ... The way it happened, we couldn't write it any better."
That win was especially significant for Team Gushue because it happened on home ice in St. John's.
Hometown gala for Gushue
A Newfoundland & Labrador Celebration in Honour of Team Gushue is being hosted at Bally Haly Country Club in St. John's Wednesday night.
Magical run for <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamGushue">@TeamGushue</a>. Now being honoured at home curling club <a href="https://twitter.com/BallyHaly">@BallyHaly</a> in St. John's. I'll share some stories tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbccurl?src=hash">#cbccurl</a> <a href="https://t.co/E9icfmaOEY">pic.twitter.com/E9icfmaOEY</a>
—@Devin_Heroux"We will celebrate the spectacular accomplishments of Team Gushue, their exceptional career journey, and their important contributions to NL sport & culture," the club says in a Facebook post.
Bally Haly recently renamed its curling sheets after Team Gushue.
For teammate Brett Gallant, the celebrations and public attention are new.
"Not being part of the Olympic run, I could walk around town pretty easily," Gallant said.
"But now, after this, people are always coming up congratulating us, and saying how proud they were to witness [thje win] ... it's really cool to be a part of that now."
Awesome honour to have a curling sheet named after us! Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/BallyHaly">@BallyHaly</a> At least there won't be any potholes jokes! 😜 <a href="https://t.co/Z3ns0nTCAf">pic.twitter.com/Z3ns0nTCAf</a>
—@BradGushueCBC Sports reporter Devin Heroux — who extensively covered the Brier in St. John's, as well as the worlds in Alberta — will be there as a guest speaker.
Limited tickets were made available for $120, and include a four-course meal.
Lasting legacy
With sights set on the Olympics, Gallant hopes the province draws inspiration from the team.
"I certainly hope it gets more people involved in the sport, but I don't think it has to be just curling. I think it can inspire kids to get in all different sports," Gallant said.
"To get the community to come together the way it did for the Brier ... that was so special. It seemed like all of Newfoundland embraced our one team for the Brier week, and then onto the Worlds and even throughout our season."
Gushue's message: you can accomplish anything, no matter how small the province you come from.
"I'd like to see kids, and even adults, across the province realize that just because we're from a small province, it doesn't mean you can't be the best in the world ... There was always this understanding or belief [growing up] that we weren't going to get to the top because we're from a small little place in the North Atlantic," Gushue said.
"But it can happen. And not just us, but you see what happened with Kaetlyn Osmond and [Katarina] Roxon and a lot of great athletes and teams in this province. It's incredible what we have here."
With files from Here and Now