London curler Mark Ideson has won his second career Paralympic gold medal.
Canada defeated China 4-3 in the gold medal game in dramatic fashion to the London skip, his first gold since 2014.
“It’s validating for all the hard work that’s gone in the last 12 years,” said Ideson in a press release. “Not just by the members on the team but also the staff behind the scenes and friends and family that have sacrificed lots of time for us to be on the road. It’s tough, but it’s all worth it for this moment.”
With the hammer in the end Ideson and his Canadian team felt they had shot rock but it’s possible a measurement was coming to determine the winning stone.
With the time clock winding down, Canada decided to play a tap on their own stone to remove all doubt.
Should the clock run out, Canada would have forfeited the match, but instead he decided to tap it into the four-foot for the win.
Ideson and teammates Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.); Ina Forrest (Spallumcheen, B.C.) and Collinda Joseph (Ottawa) went undefeated in the tournament.
“It was really hard to communicate with a time crunch and the noise of the venue,” said Thurston in a press release. “But thankfully, Mark threw a pistol and was able to tap us in to make sure we were shot to win the gold. Mark just did it all week for us. He was a great leader, and I’m super proud of him and this whole team, and it’s super special.”
It’s the fourth Paralympic medal for Ideson who captured bronze in 2018 and 2022.
Ideson isn’t the only one bringing a gold back to the Forest City.
Londoner Mick Lizmore is the wheelchair curling coach.
There will also be more Paralympic medals coming to our region. Canada’s sledge hockey team featuring James Dunn of Wallacetown, Ont. and Tyler McGregor of Forest, Ont. will face the U.S. in the gold medal game Sunday morning.
Ideson was selected to be one of two flag bearers representing Canada at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
