
Brad Gushue and Mark Nichols might not be leaving the Beijing Olympics with the medal of their choice, but the pair are still leaving with hardware.
With a bronze medal win alongside teammates Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker in men’s curling, Gushue and Nichols have set a Winter Games record for Canada for the longest time between Olympic medals — a whopping 16 years.
The team defeated the United States in an 8-5 win in the bronze medal final. The win came after the Canadian team had to rebound quickly after a devastating loss to Sweden in the semifinals one day earlier.
“We weren’t at our best this week,” Gushue, 41, said. “I think that was clear to every Canadian curling fan that watched us. But for us to grind through and come out with a bronze medal, it’s something I’m super proud of right now, and I think I’m going to be even prouder as the years go by.”
Gushue and Nichols were part of Canada’s first ever Olympic gold medal-winning team in men’s curling at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
At the 2006 Games, Gushue’s team posted a 6-3 record in the round robin to advance to the event’s semifinal. Canada advanced to the final with a 10-4 victory over Finland, and then claimed gold with a blowout 10-4 win against Finland — including a six-point sixth end.