Minichiello horror as British pair crash out
DEVASTATED Nicola Minichiello spoke of her heartache after crashing out of the bobsleigh to cap a disappointing night for Great Britain’s medal hopefuls.
Minichiello’s medal dreams were dashed when she lost control of the sled on the third run, causing it to flip over and trap her and partner Gillian Cooke inside.
The pair were lying a disappointing 10th after the first two runs, and opted out of salvaging some pride in the fourth run after Cooke complained of a leg injury.
It brought an end to a woeful night for Great Britain after the men’s curling team lost out 7-6 to Sweden in an extra-end play-off.
“We’re devastated,” Minichiello said. “It’s everything we’ve been training for and working for the past 15 years.
“After yesterday we just had to go for it. We knew it was going to take everything we had but we just lost it.
“We just pushed a little bit too much. We just let it ride a bit too much. We came out of curve 11 and just pulled it and it tipped. That’s it.”
Great Britain II, carrying Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas, finished in a creditable 11th, 3.90 seconds behind the winners, Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyes of Canada.
British curling skip David Murdoch also expressed his disappointment after an error-strewn display against the Swedes.
“We weren’t sharp at all,” Murdoch said. “We gave them a head start but the team showed a lot of character and in the last five ends we curled the way we should have been curling.
“We came into this week as world champions. But sometimes weeks just don’t go for you.”