Photo: Contributed
Tyrell Griffith and Nancy Martin
Tyrell Griffith finds himself in the middle of a curling controversy.
The Kelowna curler and his on-ice partner Nancy Martin are sitting on pins and needles, waiting to find out if they will have a chance to represent Canada in mixed doubles at the Beijing Olympics.
A decision on which pair will wear the Maple Leaf will be decided in a boardroom, and not on the ice, after the rapid spread of COVID-19 forced cancellation of the Olympic trials last month.
Some curlers have voiced their displeasure at the process, saying Curling Canada held the trails too close to the Olympics, leaving no room for the event to be rescheduled.
“We’re competitors first and foremost,” said Griffith, who has a good chance to be named following the success he and Martin have had this season.
“We want to be on the ice. Winning the right to be the representative is what we all envisioned.”
Griffith and Martin are third in the Canadian Team Ranking System, however, members of the top two teams Brett Gallant and Jennifer Jones are already going to the Olympics in the men’s and women’s competition respectively.
Being next in line has prompted some within the curling world in Canada to suggest Griffith and Martin should be asked to go.
While he believes just being in the conversation is cool, and being selected would be a huge honour for both, he feels the bigger issue is being true to the unique sport of mixed curling.
“There are a number of mixed doubles players that are just mixed doubles players like myself.
“A lot of us put a lot of time into it. Depending on what they decide to do, I just hope they make a decision that’s going to be for the betterment of mixed doubles.”
Picking a team that focuses for the most part on mixed doubles would be a way to do that – to help grow the sport of mixed doubles, he says.
Griffith says the decision needs to be made soon, because time is ticking with the opening ceremonies less than four weeks away.
An announcement could come as early as Monday..
Regardless of the decision, a trip to Beijing, while a lifelong dream, would likely be the second best thing to happen to him this year.
Griffith and his wife are expecting their first child any day.
Wearing the Maple Leaf would also be redemption of sorts for Griffith, who has finished second at four previous national championships, including the juniors, mixed doubles, mixed and Brier.
Credit: Source link
