Armstrong rink ’ s gold adds to Canada’s Olympic curling dominance
SOCHI, Russia — Canada has a historic curling trifecta in Sochi.
Jim Armstrong’s rink showed its class and experience on the sometimes tricky playing surface at the Ice Cube Curling Centre on Saturday to defeat Russia 8- 3 and win the gold medal at the Paralympic Winter Games.
The victory comes on the heels of Canada’s podium- topping performances in both men’s and women’s curling at last month’s Olympics and marks the first time a country has won all three tournaments in the same year.
Meanwhile, Britain defeated China 7- 3 to win the bronze.
Canada has dominated wheelchair curling since the sport made its Paralympic debut eight years ago, winning gold at both the 2006 and 2010 Games to go along with triumphs in the 2009, 2011 and 2013 world championships.
Up 5- 2 in the sixth end, Canada capitalized on one of a number of miscues by Russia to grab a commanding lead.
Russian skip Andrey Smirnov missed an attempted takeout with the hammer, allowing Canada to steal three and hand the two- time defending gold medallists a commanding 8- 2 lead.
Russia got one back in the seventh end to make it 8- 3, but decided to shake hands midway through the eighth to seal a Canadian victory . Fans of both countries saluted the players with raucous applause at the end of the match as the Canadians hugged and congratulated each other.
The Canadian rink — Armstrong of Cambridge, Ont., Vernon’s Sonja Gaudet, Ina Forrest of Armstrong and Dennis Thiessen of Winnipeg, as well as alternate Mark Ideson of London, Ont. — found themselves down early after Russia scored two in the first end in front of a boisterous and partisan gathering. Canada, which downed China 5- 4 in a tight semifinal earlier in day, got one back in the second before stealing another in the third to knot the score 2- 2.
The Russians, who thumped Britain 13- 4 in seven ends in the other semifinal, fell behind 4- 2 in the fourth when Smirnoff’s couldn’t clear the house and Canada scored two more.
An error by Armstrong in the fifth end opened the door for the Russians but Smirnov could not capitalize as Canada stole another point to take a 5- 2 advantage.
Canada, which defeated the hosts 5- 4 during round- robin play, was supported by a small gathering of fans among the noisy Russian contingent.