Left to right: Gary Smith and David Melrose
Curling THE
ROAD TO VICTORY
Euan’s Guide, the charity which runs the disabled access review website EuansGuide.com, interviewed Gary Smith, a long time Euan’s Guide reviewer and an Ambassador for the charity. Gary is also a member of the British Curling Paralympic wheelchair curling squad and he provides a glimpse of what the last year has been like for professional athletes.
A
t the age of 51, Gary might not seem like your stereotypical Paralympic hopeful, but Gary’s been training for this most of his life. Talking to Gary you quickly discover his love of sports. In fact, Gary was first introduced to Euan’s Guide when he met Paul Ralph, access and inclusion director at Euan’s Guide, at a football match watching their favourite team play. Gary shares his journey to becoming a professional curler: “I only started curling six years ago, but I’ve been involved in team sports for as long as I can remember. I played wheelchair basketball for around 20 years. I went from playing locally to playing in tournaments as far west as Texas, USA, to as far east as Japan. I took on coaching roles but continued to play competitively until an injury forced me to retire. “My introduction to curling came from Tom Killin, my first basketball coach who I’d always kept in contact with. Tom was part of the ParalympicsGB wheelchair curling team that won a silver medal at the first Paralympic wheelchair curling event in 2006. When Tom was asked to help coach at the wheelchair curling club set up at my local ice rink, Murrayfield in Edinburgh, I went along to give it a try and instantly loved it. “Determined to master the sport I became a member of Lothian Wheelchair Curling Club and also South Lanarkshire Wheelchair Curling Club and curled whenever I could. Then, in 2019, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to compete and train at the highest level when I was selected to join the British Curling Programme Squad. I couldn’t believe it! I really had to pinch myself to realise I had been given this opportunity. “Last year started with me representing Scotland at the 2020 World championships in Wetzikon, Switzerland. It was the most amazing feeling putting on that top and hearing your national anthem being played. But then within a matter of weeks we were in lockdown trying to find ways to train and keep fit at home. “While it was strange to be off the ice, I know I’m in a
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Always at the back of my mind is my ultimate goal of winning a gold medal as part of the ParalympicsGB wheelchair curling team
