Building their chemistry on the ice, British pair Robyn Munro and Orrin Carson clinched the first-ever mixed doubles curling gold medal at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games.
TURIN, Italy, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- British pair Robyn Munro and Orrin Carson made history on Tuesday by defeating Germany's Kim Sutorand and Klaudius Harsch 10-8 in the mixed doubles curling final of the Turin 2025 FISU World University Winter Games, where the discipline was making its debut at the biennial multi-sport event.
A total of eight teams competed over four days in the inaugural tournament. Canada rounded out the podium with a 9-3 win over host Italy.
Munro and Carson produced outstanding form in the gold medal match, scoring three points with hammer in the first end and adding a steal of one in the second. Although the Germans leveled the score with four points in the third, the British duo remained composed and all but sealed the victory in the sixth end with a four-ender of their own, making the score 10-6.
FULL CIRCLE MOMENT
"We're super excited. Obviously, we've worked so hard for this, and obviously we can't wait to go out and celebrate," shared the 19-year-old Carson, a sport coaching student at Friesen, Galilee College.
"It feels amazing. It was so special to have all our family and supporters here and hearing them cheer at the end makes it all worth it," added Munro, who studies politics and international relations at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
The 21-year-old is also the granddaughter of ice rink owners in her home country of Scotland.
"I got into it [curling] through my family. And my grandparents actually built an ice rink, and my granny was here to cheer me on. So that was just a full circle moment."
CHEMISTRY ON THE ICE
Success in mixed doubles curling often hinges on strong communication and teamwork, which Munro and Carson attributed to their intensive preparation and natural compatibility.
"We've been training hard over the past few weeks, and it's really paid off," Carson explained. "We're both easygoing and never let setbacks bring us down, which helped us stay determined and focused."
"A lot of grit and determination that got us here," Munro added.
When asked to describe each other in three words, the duo fully displayed its chemistry.
Carson humorously described Munro as "funny, hardworking and… stupid", quickly adding with a smile, "Obviously, it's a quote, stupid."
Munro laughed and responded, "Confident, focused, and funny. Good vibes all around!"
Three words may not be enough to capture the qualities of this gold medal-winning duo, whose future seems limitless yet unpredictable. As they prepare to celebrate their FISU Games triumph with their families, their achievement is already inspiring a new generation of curlers all over the world. ■