BY ROBERT MURRAY – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
Since 2010, each discipline in the Winter Olympic program has undergone significant change. With less than one year to go until the 2014 Games, I’ll be taking a look at what to expect from Canada and the rest of the world in Sochi. Today I take a look at curling.
What happened in 2010?: Canada enjoyed their best combined medal total since the 1998 Games. Kevin Martin ran the table, capturing the Gold medal that had eluded him for his whole career. Cheryl Bernard came agonizingly close to capturing Canada’s first Olympic gold in women’s curling since 1998 but lost out to 2006 Olympic champion Anette Norberg.
What has changed?: In the three Women’s World Curling Championships between 2010 and 2012, seven different nations ended up on the podium and three different champions were crowned. The field of women’s curling has seen increased parity with no nation being able to consider themselves a powerhouse. At the Men’s World Curling Championship, the tournament has been straight forward. The 2011 and 2012 editions of the tournament saw Canada, Scotland, Sweden and Norway finish first through fourth respectively. Outside of Canada several teams remain strong enough to challenge for the top spot but Canada has done well to fight them off.
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What Canadians should I watch?: Kevin Martin and Jennifer Jones. The Olympic trials still have to take place for both the men and women but both rinks need to be recognized. Martin will be gunning for second straight Olympic Gold medal. Jones is plagued by the question of if she can finally reach an Olympic Games. Despite several appearances at the World Championship level, Jones’ rink always seems to crumble at the Olympic trials.
Who could spoil the show?: China only continues to grow as a curling powerhouse. After a World Championship in 2009 and Bronze medal in 2010, Wang Bingyu could easily make a deep run in Sochi. On the Men’s side, Niklas Edin of Sweden could be the shock to the system. At 27, he is young but he’s already captured two European Championships, a World Junior Championship and two World Championship medals. Olympic success is just the next step for this promising young curler.
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