Aberdeen’s Tom Brewster achieved a lifetime’s ambition when he walked into the Olympic Stadium last night but he admits his biggest challenge in Sochi will now be just keeping up appearances.
Brewster has been named as the alternate for the British men’s curling team, a watching brief best described as being invited to the party but not allowed to dance.
Alongside Scott Andrews, Greg Drummond and Michael Goodfellow, Brewster skipped Scotland to the world silver medal in 2011 and 2012 and looked on course to finally achieve his Olympic dream at the fifth time of asking.
Two-time world champion David Murdoch added muscle to the rink last season but they still played and, even tweeted, as Team Brewster – even when the three-time Olympian assumed skipping duties.
But five into four clearly did not go and the rotation policy stopped this season, with Brewster seemingly happy to support Murdoch as third, where they combined to win bronze at the recent European championships. However, now he is out the picture and watching from the stands and his face in Sochi yesterday did not hide the obvious disappointment.
“I’m the unlucky one,” he said. “Any of the five of us could be sitting where I am but, unfortunately, it’s me.
“We chose to bring David on to bring some experience and get us in the position to be here. We’ve realised that taking to the ice with the same four players is beneficial as opposed to chopping and changing between five guys, which we did last season and it just didn’t work for us.
“But let’s be frank, these guys wouldn’t be here unless I was part of the team. I’ve been on the long journey with this rink just to reach this point. I’m disappointed but it’s important I don’t mope. I have to be positive for the other guys. We’re a team, we’re very close and if you are dragging down the mood it will affect the whole squad.”
However, Brewster admits it will be hard to watch if Murdoch – at the third time of asking – finally delivers on his podium potential.
British men’s rinks have arrived at the last five games considered serious medal contenders and a fourth place in Turin eight years ago remains the best return.
“We’ve won three world medals in the last three years and that says all you need to know about this team. The truth is we should be medalling here,” added Brewster, 39.
“If we won a medal it would be a bittersweet feeling but I’m not done yet. If you look back at previous Olympic Games, people in their late 40s have won gold and this just makes me want it more.”
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