Morris moves on to Olympic trials

KITCHENER, Ont. — Looks like history is well on its way to repeating itself.

Fourth-seed John Morris from Alberta defeated second-seed Brad Gushue, from St. John’s Nfld., in a thrilling semifinal draw that sent Morris to the championship draw at the Road to the Roar Olympic pre-trials with two lives left going for a shot to compete at the Olympic trials in Winnipeg this December.

Merely a game later, Morris continued his flawless streak by defeating top-seed John Morris in the championship draw. Morris moves on to the Olympic trials.

Morris, with a flawless winning streak, looks to repeat his success after striking gold in Vancouver not four years before.

“Our goal, we started here in May, is to win the Olympics,” he said. “For us, there’s no coming second in the trials, there’s no coming second in the pre-trials. We’re not here for the experience. We’re here to win.”

Gushue got off to a quick start, opening the scoring in the first end with a single point. Morris combated this with two points of his own, in which the draw proceeded in a point for point fashion until Morris comfortably took control of the draw in the seventh and eighth ends, sealing the game with an 8-3 victory.

Morris, having to shake up his team a little, had to transition from playing with curling veteran, champion and teammate Kevin Martin after seven years to build his own team and take a different path into the Olympics.

Team Martin bid into the Olympic trials was accepted and did not have to compete in the pre-trials for a berth.

“It was an interesting transition,” Morris said on getting used to playing without Martin. “There was a change that was needed to be made. It rejuvenated them, it rejuvenated Kevin, as you can see he’s playing real well. It rejuvenated myself, I feel like I got some fire and some passion back. Making a lot of shots out there and I feel great.”

It seemed like after so many years, the change was necessary, and for the best, as both curlers are back to playing at their best.

“We just weren’t finding ways to win, and it felt like we weren’t going to win the Olympic trials,” Morris said.

“Life’s too short for that.”

Morris will be joined by either Gushue or Jacobs at the trials in Winnipeg in December. The winner of that tournament will represent Canada at the 2014 Olympics.