TNT Sports
Canada grab gold
By
Published 24/02/2006 at 19:58 GMT
Brad Gushue was in inspired form to take gold for Canada on Friday, as the world's largest curling nation's men's team beat Finland 10-4. Canada raced into what proved to be an unassailable lead during the sixth end by scoring six points to the Finn's zer
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
Canada, skipped by maverick Brad Gushue, came to the Games the favourites and showed why in the final where they put together the biggest end of the Olympics taking six points in the sixth and effectively sealing the victory.
As stone by stone slid into place, the Finns looked ever more dejected and a troop of their fans left the match.
Two ends later, Finland conceded and the Canadians threw their brooms in the air in celebration.
The U.S. took the bronze medal after beating Britain 8-6.
Gushue's gang, that included world champion Russ Howard, played an aggressive game, marching about the sheet to discuss strategy, out-shouting and out-manoeuvring their Finnish opponents.
Hundreds of Canadian fans decked out in Canada's red and white filled the arena, pressing up to the barriers to give a standing ovation to the upstart team from one of Canada's weakest curling provinces, Newfoundland.
Schoolchildren across the eastern province were given a half-day to watch the match.
"This is the greatest thing to have happened to Newfoundland by about eight miles," one Canadian journalist said.
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