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Kevin Martin keeps Canada perfect at Olympics
Source: Agencies |
February 22, 2010, Monday
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KEVIN Martin's Canadians secured a spot in the Olympic curling semifinals with a 6-4 victory over Switzerland yesterday which extended their winning streak to seven matches in Vancouver.
The Canadian women's team was also on the verge of qualifying after a 9-2 win over the United States, improving their winning stretch to five matches and maintaining the host nation's perfect start in both men's and women's tournaments.
"In the playoffs. It feels good," said 43-year-old Martin. "We got to that seven wins, which is the trick. Hopefully we can keep everything rolling without slipping up going into the playoffs. First place means a little bit in the playoffs because you get last-rock advantage."
Martin's team seems poised to successfully defend the gold medal from 2006 - particularly after beating the reigning world champion British foursome on Saturday. That ended a four-game losing streak to Scottish skip David Murdoch before the Olympics. The Canadians' only remaining games here leading up to the semifinals are against the Americans and China.
"Until today, this is the truth, I went to the computer today to find out the standings," Martin said. "I didn't have a clue. I didn't have any idea where anybody sat, because it doesn't matter. It's not important. We need to worry about ourselves, getting to the playoffs and then see who we play."
Murdoch's foursome bounced back from its loss to Canada with a 4-2 win over the US, all but assuring elimination for the Americans. Sweden rallied to beat second-place Norway 8-7 and Denmark defeated Germany 9-5.
Murdoch has worked his way right back into contention.
"That's what we've done at quite a few championships after a slow start," he said. "Hopefully we can pull off another two wins and get in the semifinals. Our fate's in our own hands, so that's good."
His compatriot in the women's team is struggling.
The pressure is starting to show on 19-year-old Eve Muirhead.
The British skip pounded a stone in frustration after giving up a four-spot to Switzerland in a 10-6 shortened nine-end loss earlier Sunday. It was their third straight defeat following a promising Olympic start.
Muirhead missed the winner against the United States when she had the final rock in a 6-5 loss on Saturday. She also was upset with the screaming fans who made it tough on her last attempt.
"It was asking a lot of ourselves to come back from that and we did our best out there," Muirhead said. "A lot of slack shots out there."
The British now have three wins from seven matches after opening with a 5-4 win over world champion China.
"I don't think we're down and out yet," Muirhead said.
Canada skip Cheryl Bernard and her teammates easily handled the U.S. in a shortened seven-end match. Next up was China. American skip Debbie McCormick pulled herself out of the fourth position and was set to throw third against defending champion Sweden on Sunday night.
Bernard's team is on a roll and had an easy win for a change. She had to win the first two games of the tournament on her final rock, then the next two in an extra 11th end.
"The men, it was expected," Bernard said of the Canadian success so far. The Canadian women "were definitely the underdog with the lack of international experience. We're getting it quick, the experience that we need and working really well with it.
"To be unbeaten at this point, we hadn't planned to be. We had kind of expected we'd have a loss along the way. It's nice, really it gives us a little bit of an edge to keep going forward and lots of confidence."
Denmark edged Germany 6-5 and Japan scored three in the extra 11th end to beat Russia 12-9 in other women's matches.
The Canadian women's team was also on the verge of qualifying after a 9-2 win over the United States, improving their winning stretch to five matches and maintaining the host nation's perfect start in both men's and women's tournaments.
"In the playoffs. It feels good," said 43-year-old Martin. "We got to that seven wins, which is the trick. Hopefully we can keep everything rolling without slipping up going into the playoffs. First place means a little bit in the playoffs because you get last-rock advantage."
Martin's team seems poised to successfully defend the gold medal from 2006 - particularly after beating the reigning world champion British foursome on Saturday. That ended a four-game losing streak to Scottish skip David Murdoch before the Olympics. The Canadians' only remaining games here leading up to the semifinals are against the Americans and China.
"Until today, this is the truth, I went to the computer today to find out the standings," Martin said. "I didn't have a clue. I didn't have any idea where anybody sat, because it doesn't matter. It's not important. We need to worry about ourselves, getting to the playoffs and then see who we play."
Murdoch's foursome bounced back from its loss to Canada with a 4-2 win over the US, all but assuring elimination for the Americans. Sweden rallied to beat second-place Norway 8-7 and Denmark defeated Germany 9-5.
Murdoch has worked his way right back into contention.
"That's what we've done at quite a few championships after a slow start," he said. "Hopefully we can pull off another two wins and get in the semifinals. Our fate's in our own hands, so that's good."
His compatriot in the women's team is struggling.
The pressure is starting to show on 19-year-old Eve Muirhead.
The British skip pounded a stone in frustration after giving up a four-spot to Switzerland in a 10-6 shortened nine-end loss earlier Sunday. It was their third straight defeat following a promising Olympic start.
Muirhead missed the winner against the United States when she had the final rock in a 6-5 loss on Saturday. She also was upset with the screaming fans who made it tough on her last attempt.
"It was asking a lot of ourselves to come back from that and we did our best out there," Muirhead said. "A lot of slack shots out there."
The British now have three wins from seven matches after opening with a 5-4 win over world champion China.
"I don't think we're down and out yet," Muirhead said.
Canada skip Cheryl Bernard and her teammates easily handled the U.S. in a shortened seven-end match. Next up was China. American skip Debbie McCormick pulled herself out of the fourth position and was set to throw third against defending champion Sweden on Sunday night.
Bernard's team is on a roll and had an easy win for a change. She had to win the first two games of the tournament on her final rock, then the next two in an extra 11th end.
"The men, it was expected," Bernard said of the Canadian success so far. The Canadian women "were definitely the underdog with the lack of international experience. We're getting it quick, the experience that we need and working really well with it.
"To be unbeaten at this point, we hadn't planned to be. We had kind of expected we'd have a loss along the way. It's nice, really it gives us a little bit of an edge to keep going forward and lots of confidence."
Denmark edged Germany 6-5 and Japan scored three in the extra 11th end to beat Russia 12-9 in other women's matches.
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