On Wednesday evening, in the first event of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Australians Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt will make history. That is no mean feat. Representing a country with a proud Olympic record, there are few firsts left to be claimed in the green and gold uniform: Australia has competed at the Summer Games since federation and the Winter Games since 1936. But when the pair step out on to the ice for their opening encounter in the mixed doubles, they will become Australia’s first-ever Olympic curlers.
Hailing from a country without a single dedicated curling facility, Gill and Hewitt’s road to Beijing has not been easy. At the Games they will be up against the sport’s heavyweights. “I think given we’re not a typical curling nation, we are probably considered an underdog,” says Gill. “It’s a strong field, every single team there is really good. But that means that any team could come out on top.” Including, potentially, Australia. “For everyone at the Olympics, you want to try and get a medal – that would be fantastic,” adds Hewitt. “We’re just going to push as hard as we can every game and see what we can do out there.”
