Thurston, Molnar bring home silver
For the second straight year and the third time in the past four world championships, Team Canada will bring home silver from the 2024 World Wheelchair Curling Championship from Gangneung, South Korea.
Team Canada, consisting of skip (lead rocks) Mark Ideson, fourth Jon Thurston, from Dunsford and the Peterborough Curling Club, third Ina Forrest, second Gil Dash, alternate Chrissy Molnar, from Bobcaygeon, head coach Mick Lizmore and team leader Kyle Paquette, fell short in the gold-medal game to Norway, skipped by Jostein Stordahl, 6-2.
“Our goal is always to make the playoffs and make the final game and we did that,” said Ideson. “You know, it wasn’t our day today, Norway had a great game. That’s just the way things go. We fought hard and we’re happy to be bringing home a medal for Canada.”
The final game saw Canada making every effort to find ways to score, but solid play from Norway prevented any type of opportunity from materializing. Thurston faced three on his last rock in the fourth end and was able to limit the damage to a steal of one as Norway carried a 3-1 lead into the break.
In the fifth, Canada was forced to another tough draw for one, but Thurston’s rock overcurled and crashed on the shot rock, leading to another stolen point for Norway.
After forcing Canada to one in the sixth, Norway made good with the hammer in the seventh and was able to hold on for its fourth world championship title.
This is the third silver medal for Ideson, Forrest and Thurston at a world championship. It’s Dash’s second and Molnar’s first as part of Team Canada.
“It’s special, you know,” said Ideson about winning silver with Team Canada.
“We’re proud to have the silver but it just leaves us hungry for gold next year.”
With that medal, Canada is now tied for first with Scotland in most all-time medals at wheelchair worlds with eight.
China, skipped by Haitao Wang, fell short of defending its title and winning three straight world championships, but will take home bronze after defeating Sweden, skipped by Viljo Petersson-Dahl, in the third-place game, 6-3. This is China’s third bronze medal and seventh all-time at the worlds. Sweden has now placed fourth in backto-back years.