Never mind the summer, British curlers set for Winter Olympics
LONDON: With temperatures set to soar and sports fans focused on a coming feast of tennis and cricket, Britain named 10 curlers on Friday as the country's first picks for next year's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Beijing 2022 silver medallist Bruce Mouat will captain, or skip, the men's team of four after a dominant season that brought a second world championship title.
Mouat leads an experienced line-up of fellow Olympic silver medallists Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan with Pyeongchang 2018 Olympian Kyle Waddell as alternate.
"Team Mouat have had an outstanding run of form this past year, becoming the first-ever rink to win four Grand Slam titles in one season, and I know they will be wanting to better the silver medal they won in Beijing," said Team GB Chef de Mission and Olympic champion skip Eve Muirhead.
Olympic champion Jennifer Dodds partners Mouat in mixed doubles.
Team Morrison replaces Team Muirhead, the only British gold medallists in Beijing, in the women's competition with Rebecca Morrison, Sophie Jackson, Dodds, Sophie Sinclair and Fay Henderson as alternate.
Curling team leader Nigel Holl said the early announcement of the teams was only possible because of the form and performances shown in the past season.
"The early selection allows British Curling to run the Olympic season for these athletes and teams with Milano Cortina as the only priority, so giving them the ultimate chance to perform when it counts in 2026," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
New-look Wimbledon prepares for life without line judges
LONDON: Wimbledon is guaranteed to be picture-perfect when it gets under way next week but the courts will never look the same again after the demise of line judges. For the first time in the tournament's storied 148-year history, the men and women stationed at the back of the courts, calling "out" and "fault", will be missing. The Grand Slam announced in October that it was scrapping its smartly dressed officials in favour of electronic line-calling (ELC) from 2025, following the general trend in tennis. The Australian Open and the US Open have already gone down this route, leaving the French Open as the only one of the four Grand Slams still to use humans in the role. Wimbledon is cherished for its traditions, from the white kit worn by players to the strawberries and cream served to fans and the sumptuous flowers that colour the grounds. But the All England Club must balance that unique heritage with innovation. Tournament director Jamie Baker emphasised the point in an interview with AFP this week. "We are very much plugged into the wider tennis ecosystem, the wider tennis industry, on everything that we do," said the former professional player. "And this was something that we've been talking about for many years, because we could see the way that it was going. "And as you would imagine, for us, balancing the tradition with innovation is really a thing that we look at in pretty much every single decision we make." Baker emphasises that Wimbledon is careful to protect its heritage, including the "untouchable" white clothing rule, which he says is observed more strictly now than two decades ago. But the former British number two said the integrity of the competition was the most important element. "First and foremost for us here, we've got to get the competition aspects right, he said. "That's such an important part of everything. "And player expectation now, across the professional game at the highest level, is that the lines will be called in this way." Baker believes the people who will least notice the change are the players, who are so used to the technology. The decision to switch to live ELC, which builds on existing ball-tracking and line-calling technology, was made following extensive testing at last year's Championships. Since 2007, Hawk-Eye has assisted officials at Wimbledon on certain courts, with players able to challenge a number of calls. Its introduction added a new element for spectators. There was a buzz of excitement when the umpire signalled a video replay of a line judge's decision, followed by rhythmic clapping as it was shown on the big screen. More than 450 cameras have been installed at Wimbledon and at the qualifying tournament in nearby Roehampton this year, with machines making the decisions previously made by humans. But around 80 former officials will be employed as match assistants, with two on each court offering support to the umpire, while they will also provide back-up should the electronic system fail. So does the demise of line judges remove a bit of Wimbledon's magic? Baker thinks the opposite. "I think that's a massive positive move for us in terms of the actual look and feel of the court and the recognisable Wimbledon brand, which is green grass courts, players wearing white tennis clothes – it's instantly recognisable," he said. "So the more emphasis that's on that, the better. But also, just if you get back to the very nature of the sport itself, it's gladiatorial, it's one-on-one, everything that happens on the stage should be focused around that." --AFP
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Wimbledon women's singles: Three talking points
LONDON: The battle to be crowned Wimbledon women's champion is wide open, with the possibility of an eighth successive first-time winner at the All England Club. Since Serena Williams lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish for a seventh time in 2016, the tournament has been in search of a new dominant female star and her fellow American Coco Gauff could be poised to seize the mantle. Reigning champion Barbora Krejcikova is hampered by a thigh injury, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka is aiming to break her recent habit of losing Grand Slam finals. AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the tournament, which starts on Monday: Six years after she became the youngest player in the Open era to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon, Coco Gauff could be poised to win the tournament for the first time. Gauff was just 15 when she captured the hearts of fans in London, combining school tests in the evening with a stunning run to the last 16 that included a victory over one of her idols, Venus Williams. Now ranked second in the world, the American has matured into a significant force and she arrives at Wimbledon on a high after winning the French Open. Gauff has appeared in three Grand Slam finals, winning the 2023 US Open and triumphing on the Roland Garros clay earlier this month. Wimbledon, where she has never been past the fourth round, has been Gauff's least successful major, while no American has won there since Serena Williams nine years ago. But the 21-year-old has the game for grass, according to nine-time champion Martina Navratilova. "The great athletes always shine on grass. She's the best athlete in the women's game. That should pay off for her, and she's flying high after winning the French Open," Navratilova said. "She's found the happy medium, the equilibrium between being focused and fired up." Aryna Sabalenka has her sights set on a fourth Grand Slam title as she looks to erase the painful memories of her final flops in 2025. The 27-year-old Belarusian was beaten by Madison Keys in the Australian Open final in January before narrowly losing another three-setter against Coco Gauff in the Roland Garros showpiece. Sabalenka also lost the Stuttgart final to Jelena Ostapenko in April and the Indian Wells title match against Mirra Andreeva the previous month. She did take the Miami and Madrid titles but Sabalenka's habit of stumbling with the silverware up for grabs might play on her mind at Wimbledon. Navratilova, though, is confident Sabalenka, who won both the Australian Open and the US Open last year, can cope with the pressure at a tournament where she has twice lost in the semi-finals. "Looking at her record, it's hard to think she's not the favourite this year. I'm wondering if losing the French Open final will actually help motivate her," she said. Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova is entering Wimbledon under an injury cloud after pulling out of the Eastbourne Open with a thigh problem. The Czech world number 17 is sweating on the outcome of a scan before deciding if she will be fit for the All England Club. Even if she features, there is no guarantee Krejcikova will make it to the latter stages. She has endured a difficult time since defeating Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the final last year. Krejcikova, who has played just six matches in 2025, was out of action until May after suffering a back injury and lost in the second round of the recent French Open. Among a host of players hoping to replace her as champion is world number six Madison Keys, who won her maiden Grand Slam title in Australia this year. Poland's Iga Swiatek, ranked eighth, has five Grand Slams to her credit but has never won Wimbledon, while American world number three Jessica Pegula and Chinese world number five Zheng Qinwen are looking to win a first major title. smg/jw/iwd
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Never mind the summer, British curlers set for Winter Olympics
LONDON: With temperatures set to soar and sports fans focused on a coming feast of tennis and cricket, Britain named 10 curlers on Friday as the country's first picks for next year's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Beijing 2022 silver medallist Bruce Mouat will captain, or skip, the men's team of four after a dominant season that brought a second world championship title. Mouat leads an experienced line-up of fellow Olympic silver medallists Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan with Pyeongchang 2018 Olympian Kyle Waddell as alternate. "Team Mouat have had an outstanding run of form this past year, becoming the first-ever rink to win four Grand Slam titles in one season, and I know they will be wanting to better the silver medal they won in Beijing," said Team GB Chef de Mission and Olympic champion skip Eve Muirhead. Olympic champion Jennifer Dodds partners Mouat in mixed doubles. Team Morrison replaces Team Muirhead, the only British gold medallists in Beijing, in the women's competition with Rebecca Morrison, Sophie Jackson, Dodds, Sophie Sinclair and Fay Henderson as alternate. Curling team leader Nigel Holl said the early announcement of the teams was only possible because of the form and performances shown in the past season. "The early selection allows British Curling to run the Olympic season for these athletes and teams with Milano Cortina as the only priority, so giving them the ultimate chance to perform when it counts in 2026," he said.
