'A dream' says P.E.I.'s Brett Gallant of winning men's world curling championship
'It was pretty wild the way we did it'
Brett Gallant is the first Islander ever to be part of a men's world curling championship-winning team, after winning gold with Team Gushue at the tournament in Edmonton on Sunday.
Gallant won the berth to the worlds a few weeks ago as part of the Gushue rink which won the Brier, the Canadian men's curling championship. The rink, made up of Gushue, Gallant, lead Geoff Walker and third Mark Nichols, then went undefeated at worlds with a perfect 13-0 record.
"It was pretty wild the way we did it," Gallant told CBC News: Compass anchor Bruce Rainnie of the win.
"It seemed like all four of us played our best tournament of the year all at the same time, we just played really well start to finish, and it's kind of cool it turned out that way."
Beating Sweden's team Niklas Edin 4-2 in the final was daunting and it was a tight game, Gallant said.
"We just stuck to our guns and did our thing," Gallant explained.
Emotional journey
"Just a dream," is how Gallant, 27, summed up the last month. "I get emotional thinking about it, 'cause I wanted to do it my whole life. So to get it done, it's amazing."
Gallant was coached most of his life by his parents, Peter and Kathie, who are both long-time competitive curlers. Peter Gallant is now in South Korea coaching that country's women's national team.
"Not just them, my grandfather as well," Gallant said, choking up. "It's a real family thing for us."
Gallant plans to return home to P.E.I. for the summer and take a break from curling.
Team Gushue is excited for Olympic trials in December, he said, and has high hopes to represent Canada in South Korea at the Winter Olympics in 2018.
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With files from Bruce Rainnie