Curling-Czech mixed doubles pair learn lessons in defeat

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 7 - The Czech Republic's Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabicovsky have had a tough time of it at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics so far, but the curlers believe the experience will serve them in good stead in the future.

Chabicovsky, 21, and Zelingrova, 19, are the youngest pair in the mixed doubles competition and lost their opening four games in Cortina d'Ampezzo before finally beating South Korea's Jeong Yeong-seok and Kim Seon-yeong.

"Here, there are the best teams in the world, in the best shape possible. It's definitely harder," Chabicovsky told reporters.

"There's so much attention on us, like the lights are brighter, right? We don't know what's going to happen in four years, but hopefully we'll be able to come back. So, you know, you might even learn more from the losses than wins."

The Czech pair have cut dejected figures in the tournament, with Zelingrova often in tears.

After their first defeat, a 10-5 drubbing by Canada, a forlorn Chabicovsky said his friends were probably "unconscious on the ground" after making a drinking game out of his misses.

Asked what his friends would do now that he had won, the 21-year-old said: "They might be a little disappointed. They might have to do a different drinking game now!"

CELEBRATING VICTORY

The pair, who qualified for the Olympics after winning the final qualifying tournament in Kelowna in December, celebrated their victory on Saturday with great enthusiasm, jumping around and waving to Czech fans in the stands.

"It just brings back really good memories of Kelowna, with the successful performances that they were having there," said their also emotional Canadian coach Wade Scoffin.

"One of the things we were talking about is the composure of the opposition teams, and how they can certainly get a first front-seat view of what good, successful mixed doubles teams are doing."

Chabicovsky and Zelingrova are both still in college and will return to their studies after the Olympics.

"I missed a lot, but I'm not really worried about school. Because this is the end of our exam period. The end of the semester," said Chabicovsky, who is studying civil engineering, while Zelingrova is doing a degree in environmental protection.

The pair have already set their sights on returning to the Games in 2030, but they almost went their separate ways six years ago when Zelingrova was considering teaming up with another curler.

"I liked one boy from curling and I fell in love! But then he made me angry, so I came back to him (Chabicovsky)," she said. REUTERS