USA Curling hires Canada great Gushue as high-performance director to boost Olympic gold-medal hopes

One of Canada’s greatest curlers has been hired to improve the United States’ gold-medal chances at the next two Olympic Games.

Brad Gushue, who recently brought his decorated playing career to an end, will take over as high-performance director at USA Curling, it announced Wednesday.

USA Curling said the addition of Gushue, who skipped Canada to Olympic gold in Turin in 2006, would “further elevate high-performance efforts in the next quadrennial and on the road to the 2034 home Games in Salt Lake City.”

“This role felt like a natural fit, and positions like this don’t come along all that often in the sport of curling,” Gushue said in a USA Curling statement.

“It is an opportunity to stay close to the sport and make a meaningful impact in a new way.”

The U.S. is coming off winning silver in the mixed doubles at the Milan Cortina Games in February. The men’s team won gold in 2018 and bronze in 2006, while the women’s team has never won an Olympic medal, placing fourth this year.

Gushue also skipped Canada to Olympic bronze in 2022, the world title in 2017, and was a seven-time national champion, USA Curling said.

The national body said Gushue will work closely with athletes in the men’s and women’s programs, identify talent, advance coach education and build a “high-performance culture that delivers podium results at world championships and Olympic Games.”

USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell said Gushue had “extensive experience as a manager of business operations and as a leader of teams both on and off the ice.

“We are thrilled to welcome him,” Gemmell added, “as we work to achieve the kind of international success that builds the sport at every level.”

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics