Wheelchair curling sets Pyeongchang pulses racing
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — It’s probably the slowest sport at the Winter Paralympics, but curling has proved an unlikely hit, with spectators flocking to watch wheelchair-bound athletes skilfully slide stones over a sheet of ice.
The popularity of the niche sport has exploded in South Korea since February’s Olympics, when the country’s women’s team, nicknamed the “Garlic Girls”, had a fairytale run to the silver medal.
Curling’s new-found fame has spilled over to this month’s Paralympics, where 12 mixed teams, consisting of male and female athletes with leg impairments, competed.
The rules are similar to able-bodied curling. Athletes slide stones over the ice, and whoever gets them closest to the center of a target at the end of each round can pick up points.
However, there is one key difference in the Paralympic version — there is no sweeping, whereby athletes use a broom to vigorously rub the ice in front of a sliding stone to better direct it.
Over 54,000 tickets were sold for the wheelchair curling at the Games, while American actor and celebrity Mr. T — who tweeted about his love of the sport during the Olympics — has swung back into action, urging his followers to watch it at the Paralympics.
Only para-ice hockey, a fast and furious sport that sees athletes competing in double-bladed sledges, has been more popular at the Pyeongchang Games.
“It’s a very entertaining game,” said Canadian wheelchair curler Ina Forrest, who lost the use of her legs at age 21 after a car accident.
“I think there’s been a huge increase in the caliber of wheelchair curling.”
The Gangneung Curling Center was packed out on Saturday for the final two matches of the Paralympics, with spectators waving flags and banners, and roaring with excitement every time a stone slid into the target.
China triumphs
China defeated Norway 6-5 in a nail-biting final to win gold while Canada beat South Korea 5-3 in the bronze medal game, leaving the host in fourth place.
The crowd was particularly boisterous during South Korea’s match, cheering loudly every time their side was doing well.
The South Koreans’ performance helped to bolster crowd sizes, with more home fans flocking to watch.
“The team got good results, making people even more interested in the game,” said coach Beak Jong-chul.
As well as a lot of spectators, wheelchair curling attracts by far the oldest athletes of any sport at the Paralympics, with a good number of competitors over 50.
The oldest athlete in Pyeongchang competed in wheelchair curling —67-yearold Harry Pavel of Germany. Canada’s team included a grandmother of 10 — Marie Wright, 57.
Meanwhile, Mr. T, who made his name playing bighearted tough guy BA Baracus in 1980s TV hit The ATeam, is even more enamored with wheelchair curling than with the ablebodied version.
“I said it before and I’ll say it again.. curling is cool fool! But wheelchair curling, more cooler!” tweeted the 65-yearold star.