Gushue returns to Newfoundland after history-making Brier championship

His Brier three-peat has cemented Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue into the curling record books.

Six-time curling national champion Brad Gushue returned to Newfoundland Monday evening, after he made curling history in Regina and cemented his place among the sport’s greatest athletes.

Gushue became the first skip to win six national titles when he beat Mike McEwen from the Saskatchewan team on Sunday night. Gushue and his team have now won six out of the last eight national championships — known as the Brier — and have won three in a row.

"Those are impressive things, but to be honest, we never went in there (with) that being our target," he said at the St. John’s Airport, just after returning to the city. "It was always just we wanted to win this event. We wanted to have a great week, we wanted to have that moment in the final and we did."

The win cemented his team among curling’s best. Gushue and longtime friend and teammate Mark Nichols have both now won six national titles, an Olympic gold, and a world championship.

Only one other curler, Randy Ferbey, has also won six titles. He did so while playing different positions throughout his career.

"I think we’re definitely worth considering and should be in the conversation, but I think everybody’s going to have different opinions on who they think is best or who had the greatest run," Gushue said Monday.

"My opinion on that doesn’t matter, especially where I’m right in the middle of it right now."