20 years after winning Olympic gold, Brad Gushue is preparing to say goodbye to curling

On the 20th day of remembrance of his au medal public presentation at the 2006 overwinter Olympics, Brad Gushue is looking for back with a mix of pride and disbelief on a storied career now winding down.

The 45-year-old has always been a goal-oriented athlete, known for his tenacity and focus on and off the ice. He was just a teenager when he made a vision board with all the things he wanted to accomplish in his career, setting off on a path to dominate the sport he loved most for the next three decades.

Now, he's ready to walk away from curling with no hint of regret lingering in his conscience.

“I think he would be very proud that we checked everything off that board," Gushue said of his younger self.

"He’d be probably surprised at the amount of things we won. You know, I never expected to have six Briers or 15 Grand Slam of Curling titles, two Olympic medals. Like, these are things that nobody else has really done.”

Gushue is at home in St. John's this week, preparing for one last kick at the Brier starting Friday night. Newfoundland's capital city is hosting this year, in the same stadium where Gushue won his first Brier in 2017.

There will be a lot of attention around the Gushue rink throughout the tournament, and the skip admits he isn't sure how he's going to hold up.

“I’m not too nervous about performing. I’ve been through this enough to know we’re going to play well,” he said.

“What I’m nervous about is just how I’m going to handle the week. I think it’s going to be a very emotional week for me, and there’s going to be a lot of feelings I’m going to have throughout the week that I’m not sure how I’m going to deal with and how they’re going to affect me.”

The game has meant the world to Gushue — and has allowed him to see the world in the process.

He was just 25 years old when he qualified for the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. His team — Russ Howard, Mark Nichols, Jamie Korab and Mike Adam — ran through the competition, defeating Finland in the gold medal game.

His home province was swept up in the fever of the event, closing schools for the afternoon on Feb. 24, 2006, so kids could witness the first athletes from Newfoundland and Labrador ever to win Olympic gold.

Gushue's first instinct after winning gold was to grab a phone and call his mother, Maureen, who was at home dealing with cancer treatments.

“I wanted her to be part of it so bad that the first thing I thought of when I knew we had won was, ‘Get the cell phone for me. I want to call her.’”

Looking back with curling great Brad Gushue before he shoots for his last on-ice win

Twenty years later, Gushue narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics again. Instead, he watched with "some jealousy" as Brad Jacobs won gold in Milan.

“Every time I watch the Olympics it kind of brings me back to those moments, whether you’re watching the opening ceremonies or closing ceremonies. It does bring back a lot of memories," Gushue said.

"I wish I was over there. But you know obviously [Team Jacobs] represented our country very well and came back with a gold.”

Gushue admits his goal-oriented nature has slipped a little in the last couple of seasons, feeling as if there's nothing left to accomplish.

That listlessness helped him realize it's time now to walk away from the game.

During an interview at his home curling club, Gushue said he can't see himself playing recreationally after retirement.

“I don’t expect to be down here on a Tuesday or Wednesday night curling. I think I’m far too competitive to do that and not play at the level I used to," he laughed.

He wants to find new challenges — a new job, perhaps a new business — but he's giving himself some grace right now, and not feeling pressure to find something soon.

For now, he's happiest when watching his daughters on the ice.

“I’m 45 years old. I’ve been through a lot. I want to be home with my kids more, and my family more. I don’t regret anything. I’m happy in this moment. I actually get more joy now watching my girls curl than I get from curling. I’m looking forward to starting this new chapter, watching them, and following them.”

Team Gushue takes to the ice 7:30 p.m. NT on Friday, facing off against Quebec in the opening match of the Montana's Brier.

Despite having nothing left the prove, Gushue said he still wants nothing more than to tuck one last Brier championship under his belt.

“I want to win because I’m a competitor and I love to win.”

Ryan Cooke is a journalist with the Atlantic Investigative Unit, based in St. John's. He can be reached at ryan.cooke@cbc.ca.

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