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sports Wednesday 12 January 2022
Gold means confidence, less pressure for US curler Shuster

By JIMMY GOLEN that is trying to repeat.
AP Sports Writer All of the medal-winning
John Shuster won't be teams from Pyeongchang
catching anyone by sur- are back for another try,
prise at these Olympics. with some minor shuffling in
The five-time Olympian is the lineups.
back to defend his curling In the men's field, Sochi
gold medal in Beijing, and bronze medalist and Py-
the target on his back will eongchang runner-up
be almost as big as the one Niklas Edin is back to com-
on the ice. Four years after plete his set of Olympic priz-
surviving five straight elimi- es. The Swiss team skipped
nation matches to win it all by Benoît Schwarz that won
in Pyeongchang the Ameri- bronze in 2018 is back but
cans are among the favor- with a new third, Sven Mi-
ites to medal again. chel.
"I definitely feel less pres- Anna Hasselborg's four-
sure," Shuster said after his some will defend its Olym-
victory in the U.S. curling pic championship in the
trials. "The success last time women's division, and Ja-
for me, winning an Olym- pan's Team Fujisawa is back
pic gold, is the top of the after winning bronze four
mountain. And no matter Associated Press years ago. South Korea's
how you finish in the other Team Kim, silver medalists
Olympics, it doesn't matter. at home in Pyeongchang,
"I think I feel less pressure," federation-backed squads important stones but is also 2018 and failed to qualify is back, with Kim Cho-hi
he said, "but I think I have in the U.S. trials but won the final word on strategy for the playoffs. stepping in as second.
supreme confidence." gold in Korea. throughout the match. DOUBLE DUTY Canada's Kaitlyn Lawes
Shuster won bronze in 2006 With 2018 teammates John "It definitely is different, just A handful of curlers will be and John Morris won mixed
as the lead for Pete Fen- Landsteiner and Matt Ham- in terms of my role on the among the busiest athletes doubles gold in Korea -- the
son's team — the first-ever ilton, and Olympic rookie team," Peterson said. "I've at the Olympics. only curling medal for pow-
U.S. Olympic curling med- Chris Plys, Shuster is hop- had to kind of rethink the Plys will compete in the erhouse Canada in Korea
al. Then he left to form his ing to avoid the slow starts way I think the game, my mixed doubles event with -- but the coed trials were
own rink, earning a trip to of previous Winter Games. role, my approach, my partner Vicky Persinger be- canceled because of the
Vancouver but performing Longtime curling powers preparation. (And) what fore turning his attention to pandemic, delaying the
so badly that he benched Britain and Canada will be I do off the ice -- there's the men's tournament — selection of a team for Bei-
himself. After finishing 10th there if they stumble. more strategic learning." meaning he could be on jing. Silver medalists Jenny
in 2010 — dead last — Shus- BABY BUMP Roth is back at vice-skip, the ice for 18 days in a row, Perret and Martin Rios of
ter won the U.S. trials again Tabitha Peterson is head- throwing third, with fellow sometimes two sessions per Switzerland and third place
four years later but man- ing to her second straight 2018 holdover Becca Ham- day. finishers Kristin Skaslien and
aged just a ninth place in Olympics — her first as the ilton second. Olympic rook- Others doing double duty Magnus Nedregotten of
Sochi. When USA Curling skip of the U.S. women's ie Tara Peterson, Tabitha's are Britain's Jennifer Dodds Norway are also hoping to
put together a high perfor- team. sister, is the lead, throwing and Bruce Mouat, Italy's move up the podium.
mance camp of the coun- A Twin Cities native, Pe- first. "It's been amazing, this Amos Mosanser and Swe- PANTSED
try's top 10 players, Shuster terson threw third for group of girls," Tabitha Pe- den's Oskar Eriksson. (Nor- The Norwegian team that
didn't make the cut. Nina Roth's team in Py- terson said. "We're so hap- way's Magnus Nedregot- became a sensation for its
So the most decorated eongchang. When Roth py to be going together, ten is an alternate for the psychedelic pants over the
Olympian in American curl- took maternity leave the no matter what our roles men's competition; China last three Olympiads has
ing history scraped togeth- following season, Peter- are." and Canada were still filling broken up, depriving the
er a foursome — calling son moved up to skip, the The U.S. women have nev- out their teams.) curling field of a beloved
themselves "Team Rejects" team captain who not only er won an Olympic curling BACK FOR MORE dose of sartorial personal-
— and not only beat the throws the last and most medal. They went 4-5 in It's not just Shuster's squad ity. q

Red Wings hire Nicklas Lidstrom as VP

of hockey operations

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit ties will include evaluating phies to trail only Bobby
Red Wings hired Nicklas players with the Red Wings, Orr's record total of eight.
Lidstrom as vice president on other NHL teams, in the Lidstrom retired in 2012, his
of hockey operations Tues- AHL and Europe as well as No. 5 Red Wings jersey was
day, tapping one of the on amateur levels. raised two seasons later
franchise's great players. Detroit drafted Lidstrom and he was a first-ballot
General manager Stev with the No. 53 pick overall Hockey Hall of Famer in
Yzerman said his former in 1989 and he spent his 20 2015.
teammate will be based NHL seasons with the fran- The 12-time All-Star helped
in his native Sweden and chise, becoming one of Detroit win four Stanley Associated Press
involved in every aspect of the best defensemen of all Cups from 1997 to 2008, onship team born in Europe. ing a spot in the Triple Gold
helping him run the orga- time. when he became the first He helped the Swedes win Club after also winning a
nization. Lidstrom's job du- He won seven Norris tro- captain of an NHL champi- Olympic gold in 2006, earn- world championship.q