Wheelchair curling ace Michael jets off to Paralympic Winter Games

Feb 27 2010 Paisley Daily Express

THE Great Britain wheelchair curling team were given a rousing send off from their home rink at Braehead before heading to Canada to compete in the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

And Lochwinnoch man Michael McCreadie, who skippers the team, told Express Sports: “We’re quietly confident of bringing home the gold medals.”

All members of the wheelchair curling team, which will be flying the flag for Great Britain at the games in Vancouver, are Scottish.

And they met supporters and well-wishers at the Braehead Curling Rink – where they train and play their club matches – as they prepared to jet out to Canada.

Joining Michael in the GB team are Tom Killin, from Edinburgh; Angie Malone, from Girvan; Aileen Neilson, from Strathaven; and Jim Sellar, from Bellshill.

At the last Paralympics in 2006, which were staged in Turin, Italy, Michael, Tom and Angie were all members of the GB wheelchair curling team which won silver medals.

But in Vancouver next month, the GB curlers are aiming to go one better.

Michael continued: “If we play at our best, we will be a real handful for any country in the world.

“I know it’s a football cliché but we’ll be taking it one game at a time and let’s hope we’ll end up with gold medals to bring home.

“We can’t wait to get out there and start competing. You can’t put into words how it feels to put on that GB tracksuit and represent your country.”

He added: “The GB Paralympic teams work just as hard all-year round and prepare for our Winter Games just as much as the competitors who are presently out in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics.”

Braehead leisure manager Bruce Harley is among those who are wishing the GB team well as they go for glory in Vancouver.

He said: “The skill, passion and determination of these wheelchair curlers is fantastic and I see these qualities week in, week out when they play at Braehead.

“We’ll be rooting for them when the competition starts and I’ve no doubt we’ll be having a big welcome home event at the curling rink when the team comes back clutching gold medals in their hands.”