Jim Sellar, Angie Malone, Michael McCreadie, Aileen Nielsen, Tom Killin
[photo - Martin Shields - Evening Times]
[photo - Martin Shields - Evening Times]
Team Great Britain skip Michael McCreadie told reporters assembled at the team send off celebration at their teams home ice at Braehead: said, “We’re quietly confident of bringing home the gold medals.”
Bob Cowan reports Michael saying: "If we play at our best we will be a real handful for any country in the world .... The GB Paralympic teams work just as hard all year round and prepare for our winter games just as much as the competitors who are presently out in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics.”
You can read the rest of Bob's report HERE.
Also a report from the Paisley Express.
Though the GB team, all Scots, have as much experience and as many medals as any team in the world, for the past two years they've been undertaking what Tom Pendreigh their coach calls a "skill acquisition project." This has included throwing from the top of the rings rather than the near hogline.
Pendreigh expressed surprise when I contacted him last week at the skepticism his project has provoked from those outside his program. He's certain of its advantages and feels his team has overcome "expected and managed" performance dips in the run up to the Paralympics.
GB plays Canada in the first draw, and a good result will give McCreadie, who is still inexperienced at skip, all the confidence he needs to reach the podium.
4 comments:
I think Big Jim and his crew will have a lot to say about Great Britain getting Gold!
Your right, but so will other countries. The sport of curling has been improving globally and I truly believe that the sport of wheelchair curling today is stronger than it was 4 years ago and not just in Canada. For any sport to continue to grow and thrive we need the competition to be continuously improving so that we do the same. If we go out and dominate every event it is not realistic nor healthy for the development of the athletes. Jim and crew have been prepared the best that the CCA and Joe can provide. This is a great team and we need to be proud of them no matter the outcome. Do I wish them GOLD, absolutely. But the game is played on the ice not on paper. Go wheelchair curling! Go Canada!
Great point.
I do feel that with a Canada win, Canada will enjoy a bigger surge than any other country.
I agree....a Canadian win will result in much needed exposure.....look at the media interest as the Paralympics approach.
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