Jon Thurston delivered two spectacular shots in the eighth and final end as Canada defeated Slovakia 8-3 to win the bronze medal in wheelchair curling Friday at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.
After a 9-5 loss in the semifinals to China earlier in the day, Canada returned to the curling rink in the evening to play for the bronze. With Canada leading 4-3 after seven ends and Slovakia lying two, Thurston, who shoots last, knocked both Slovakia stones out on his first throw to leave Canada lying three. However, the Slovakian skip put his rock back in scoring position to force Thurston into another pressure shot. The Games rookie was on target once again, discarding the Slovakian stone to give Canada four and a medal.
“Everyone showed up to play,” said skip Mark Ideson, who was born and raised in Parry Sound. “Jon made a couple of beauties to finish it off. We’re so happy to win the bronze. It stings when you lose the semi, and you don’t get a chance to play for gold, but we’re really happy to play and win the bronze.”
Canada stole a point in each of the first two ends before Slovakia scored a deuce in the fourth. One point in the fifth and sixth put the Canadians ahead 4-2 and Slovakia responded with one win in the seventh to set the dramatic finish.
Team Canada was skipped by Mark Ideson, who now lives in London, Ont., with Dennis Thiessen of Crystal City, Man. as the second, Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, B.C., the third and Thurston from Dunsford, Ont. Collinda Joseph of Stittsville, Ont., was the alternate but did see some action during the tournament.
It is a fourth Games medal for Forrest, a third for Ideson and Thiessen, and a first for Thurston and Joseph.
Canada has now won a medal in all five Games since wheelchair curling joined the program – gold in 2006, 2010, and 2014, and bronze in 2018 and 2022.
Click here for the complete Canadian Paralympic Team results on March 11.
