Emotional victory for Canada curling skip Armstrong

Posted: Sunday 21st March 2010 | 9:48

CANADA defended their Winter Paralympic curling title with a tense victory over Korea.

SKIP TO VICTORY: Canada skip Jim Armstrong helped his rink add the Paralympic title to their world crown in Vancouver (Getty Images)

Skip Jim Armstrong and his rink of Sonja Gaudet, Ina Forrest and Darryl Neighbour also won the world title in Vancouver twelve months ago but only Gaudet remains from the team that won in Turin four years ago.

Korea, skipped by Haksung Kim, battled back after Canada took an early advantage. Despite trailing 8-6 in the final end, they held two as Armstrong prepared to deliver his final stone. But he made no mistake to secure an 8-7 victory.

Armstrong admitted the victory was extra emotional, following the loss of his wife of 29 years Carleen, who died of cancer last September.

“I know she was here today,” he said.

Advertisement

“This is as good as I gets. Everybody that’s here has their own story on how they got here and it’s every bit as big because there’s that added factor.”

Elsewhere, Sweden claimed bronze with a 7-5 win over the United States.