Engaged curling couple from P.E.I., Manitoba are off to the Olympics together – Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman say emotions were high watching each other in the finals (Saltwire Media)

(By Dave Stewart · Journalist) Brett Gallant said winning the right to represent his country at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is a dream come true but watching his fiancée do the same is icing on the cake.

Partners Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are going to the Beijing Olympics as the seconds for Canada’s curling teams. – Curling Canada photo

“This is just spectacular,’’ said the Charlottetown native, referring to both of them winning the right to wear the Canadian colours. “For it to happen to both of us in the same year is just even more incredible. It’s almost unbelievable. We’re pretty grateful.’’The Gushue rink defeated the Brad Jacobs rink in the men’s final of the Canadian Olympic curling trials in Saskatoon, Sask., on Nov. 28. That same day, his fiancée, Jocelyn Peterman, also qualified for the Olympics with the Jennifer Jones rink, beating Tracy Fleury in the women’s final. Both Gallant and Peterman throw second stones with the winning rinks.Following the nail-biting last moments of both gold-medal games, the medal presentations, the celebrating and some much-needed rest, Canada’s newest Olympic couple was able to sit down for a telephone interview with The Guardian on Dec. 1 from Red Deer, Alta., where she is from and where they were visiting Peterman’s family.

‘Pretty crazy’

Stepping onto the ice in Beijing will be an Olympic debut for both.

“It’s pretty crazy,’’ Peterman said, adding that she’s still on a high from both wins.

Peterman said she’s glad the women’s final was played first so she didn’t have to deal with the anxiety of watching Gallant play before preparing for her own game.

“I joked that I maybe would not have watched (Brett’s) game because I don’t think I could have handled the emotions of that before playing,’’ Peterman laughed.

Gallant didn’t have it so lucky. He chose to watch the game from his hotel room.

“Oh, it was crazy,’’ he said of the emotions going through his head at the time. “I was fine for the first nine ends.’’

In the 10th end of the Jones-Fleury game, Jones appeared to have the gold medal won but missed an open takeout and only scored one, which tied the game and forced an extra end. Jones stole one in the 11th for the win.

“I was getting very emotional,’’ Gallant said. “When (the Jones rink) had the opportunity to win it and just rolled a bit too far I felt all the emotions. I was pacing around my hotel room at that point (in the extra end). It was a lot of relief once they were able to win that game. I was filled with pride for Jocelyn. I know the work and dedication she puts in to being her best.’’

However, Gallant didn’t have much time to celebrate. He had to refocus for the men’s final later that day.

He gave a long sigh when asked how he transitioned from being over-the-moon in his excitement to focusing on his game.

“I tried to pull myself together,’’ Gallant said. “One of the biggest games of my life was coming up in just a few hours. I just tried to do a total reset at that point. It was probably the most challenging leadup to a game that I have ever experienced.’’

With the final rock of the game in the Gushue-Jacobs match, Jacobs had a chance to hit for a pair but he overthrew his final rock a little bit and rolled out to give Gushue the win.

Emotional moment

Peterman was sitting with her teammates in the arena and quickly raced down to ice level and jumped into Gallant’s arms. The long embrace was captured on national TV.

Click to read the full story at Saltwire Media: https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/news/engaged-curling-couple-from-pei-manitoba-are-off-to-the-olympics-together-100666433/