CBC.CA – Torino 2006 – Curling – Headlines – Kleibrink wins curling bronze
Last Updated: Thu Feb 23 10:03:14 EST 2006
CBC Sports
Canada’s Shannon Kleibrink regrouped from a tough semifinal loss to win the bronze medal in women’s curling on Thursday at the Torino Olympics.
Kleibrink defeated Norway’s Dordi Nordby 11-4 in eight ends to earn the bronze, a day after seeing her gold-medal chances evaporate with a loss to Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott.
“You just think of everybody back home, all the fans here that supported us,” an emotional Kleibrink said after the game. “Thanks to everybody for your support.”
It was Canada’s second consecutive bronze medal in Olympic women’s curling, after Kelley Law of British Columbia won bronze at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
Kleibrink was born in Norquay, Sask., but now curls out of Calgary along with third Amy Nixon, second Glenys Bakker, lead Christine Keshen and alternate Sandra Jenkins.
The late Sandra Schmirler of Regina remains the only Canadian skip to win an Olympic title. She won gold at the 1998 Nagano Games, the first time in the modern era that curling appeared as an official Olympic event.
Kleibrink jumped on Nordby immediately on Thursday, scoring four in the first end and picking up a steal of one in the second.
Nordby got one back in the third and stole one more in the fourth before Kleibrink all but wrapped up the game in the fifth.
With Kleibrink lying four, Nordby sailed a draw attempt through the house. That allowed Kleibrink to put another stone in the rings and score her second four-point end of the game to go up 9-2.
Nordby recovered from her gaffe in the next end, making good on a draw to the four-foot to count two and cut Kleibrink’s lead to five.
Klebrink regained her seven-point lead in the seventh, converting a free draw for two to go up 11-4.
Nordby picked up one to make the score 11-5 and the teams shook hands following the eighth end, the earliest a game can be conceded.
The women’s gold medal game between Sweden and Switzerland goes later on Thursday (TSN, 11:30 a.m. EST).
Canada’s Brad Gushue will play in the men’s gold medal game against Finland on Friday (CBC, 11:30 a.m. EST), while Great Britain and the U.S. will battle earlier in the day for bronze (7:00 a.m. EST).
Copyright © CBC 2006
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
