Saturday, February 9, 2002
Kelley adds twist
By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
SALT LAKE CITY -- Maybe it's because the sport involves brooms, because Canadian team skip Kelley Law decided to come clean yesterday.
Law finally revealed the real story behind the somewhat mysterious ankle injury that she suffered on Jan. 11, her birthday, while she was competing in Gander, Nfld.
At the time, it was feared the left ankle sprain would hurt her chances of winning the gold at the Salt Lake City Olympics, perhaps even keep her out of the competition.
But Law, 36, put those fears to rest yesterday, assuring everyone that through physiotherapy and the use of a brace, she won't have any trouble competing when the curling begins on Monday.
Canada opens the Olympics with a game against Sweden. Kevin Martin's rink from the Ottewell club in Edmonton plays two games in the men's draw -- against Great Britain and the U.S.
It was Law's explanation about how the injury occurred that caused a ripple at the Team Canada media conference yesterday afternoon.
There had long been a rumour that she hurt it dancing. When, where and how, though, was the mystery.
It turns out the personable skip did twist the ankle dancing with Martin's second, Carter Rycroft, after a long day of curling. But it wasn't like she was going nuts or anything.
"It was all very innocent," said Law yesterday, revelling in the fact that she finally received her lost luggage after borrowing clothes at the athletes village for the past two days.
Despite the fact that she and her teammates were jet-lagged and exhausted on that January day, they decided to get up and dance, and seconds after she began to cut a rug, Law's ankle twisted and she went down for the count. In fact, the Coquitlam, B.C., native spent the night at the hospital.
"I remember there was a Garth Brooks song playing when I got off (the floor)," she said. "It was just this terribly sad song. And I thought: 'This is really appropriate.'"
At the time, the fall was no laughing matter. The team's Olympic hopes rested on the prognosis.
"It was actually devastating for me and the team ," Law said. "(Second) Georgina (Wheatcroft) was in tears."
Fortunately, all is well, although her story did beg one more question. Curling is a notorious party sport and Law was asked if booze played a part in her accident.
"Well, how do I put this?" she said, with a smile. "Things were under control, we had to get up early the next morning. But you could never say that there was no drinks at a curling event in Gander, Newfoundland at midnight on a Friday."
Law deflected suggestions that her rink is under more pressure than many of Canada's athletes here because the curling teams are expected to win the gold, and nothing less.
"We understand that Canada wants us to win the medal, or thinks we should win the medal. But so do we," she said.
"So we're right there with them. It's not like we're afraid to say it. We expect we will do well and make that gold medal game and then give it our very best effort to win it."
2002 Games Curling Coverage
