Gushue’s thirst for more curling titles unquenched

REGINA • Brad Gushue has a full house when it comes curling championships.

Among the accomplishments on the resume of the Newfoundland and Labrador skip are the 2017 Canadian and world men’s championships, a gold medal in men’s curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics, and Canadian and world junior men’s titles. But Gushue, who is in Regina for the Tour Challenge Grand Slam of Curling, isn’t satisfied.

“When I was a teenager I wrote all of my goals on a sheet of Bristol board and I’ve achieved them all,” Gushue said in advance of Tuesday’s opening draw. “Like any athlete, business person or artist, you’re constantly evaluating your goals and you change them. The focus is on trying to get back to another Olympics, another Brier, or to another worlds.”

The 37-year-old Gushue broke through at the men’s national level when he won the Brier in his hometown of St. John’s, N.L. The Canadian title was Gushue’s first in 14 appearances at the Brier.

“After finally getting winning the Brier off my back, I feel like I’m playing with house money,” Gushue said. “What really keeps me going is I love to play and I would love to get back to another Olympics. I would love to get another Brier and another world championship.”

Gushue, second Brett Gallant, third Mark Nichols and Geoff Walker have already qualified for the Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic team trials, set for Dec. 2-10 in Ottawa, by virtue of earning a medal at the world championship.

One men’s and one women’s team from the trials will represent Canada at the 2108 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.