More than anything, this victory feels earned
Australia’s mixed doubles pair of Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt did not make it to the Olympic Games, despite holding the world number one ranking at the time — a reminder of just how unforgiving the qualification system can be.
Now, they have their redemption. As newly crowned world champions, they can celebrate this breakthrough together with their coach for the Olympic cycle, Canadian Perry Marshall.
This is a team that has been building toward this moment for years — consistently competitive, always close, and steadily improving. They’ve consistently travelled (Australia has no dedicated curling ice), and they’ve been bubbling under the surface (pun intended), and now they’ve finally broken through.
James Roberts-World Curling“It’s amazing. It feels really good,” Gill told World Curling. And referring back to missing out on Olympic qualification earlier in the season, she said, “It was really tough in December, so we decided to come out here and have a lot of fun.
“We just wanted to do our best — and we did, so I’m really happy.”
Some argue that the World Championships following the Olympic Games are slightly easier. The logic is that some countries send teams that were not selected for the Olympics — often less experienced lineups that may be more prone to mistakes.
Over a long round robin, that can translate into a few more favorable matchups for established teams. But that advantage fades quickly. Once the playoffs begin, every remaining team is capable of winning.
At that stage, there are no easy games — only the best survive. In that sense, a title won in a post-Olympic year is no less demanding than any other.
More than anything, this victory feels earned. Gill and Hewitt have long been known as hard-working, grounded athletes, and this title is a fitting reward for their persistence and belief.