Curling Canada cancels mixed doubles Olympic trials due to COVID-19 cases among athletes
CBC
Curling Canada cancelled its Olympic mixed doubles trials on Sunday.
The organization said the rising number of COVID-19 cases among athletes, as well as the rapid spread of the virus throughout the country, "made it impossible to stage the event in a safe, responsible manner for athletes, staff and volunteers."'
The trials were scheduled to begin on Tuesday and extend through Friday in Portage la Prairie, Man. The winning duo would go on to represent Canada at the Winter Olympics, which start on Feb. 4.
Curling Canada said its high performance staff would now consult with Own The Podium, a Canadian organization that helps fund Olympic athletes, to determine the team that competes in Beijing.
Other notable pairs among the 16 set to battle in Manitoba included Lisa Weagle and John Epping, Chelsea Carey and Colin Hodgson, and Val Sweeting and Marc Kennedy.
Jones, the 2014 Olympic champion, and Brad Gushue, the 2006 gold medallist, will represent Canada in the traditional curling events in Beijing.
