Gold medallist Gushue's path back to Olympics hasn't always been smoothWhen Brad Gushue made his Olympic debut 16 years ago, it was one of the bigger surprises in Canadian curling.

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St. John's native set to make return to Olympics in unfamiliar curling landscape

Devin Heroux · CBC Sports(Rick Elvin/The Canadian Press)comments

When Brad Gushue made his Olympic debut 16 years ago, it was one of the bigger surprises in Canadian curling.

The 25-year-old from St. John's wasn't expected to win the Canadian Olympic trials that year.

The team had brought on then 50-year-old curling legend Russ Howard to add some experience to the lineup, but expectations were certainly tempered.

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Going up against curling juggernauts like Randy Ferbey, Glenn Howard, Kevin Martin and Jeff Stoughton, Gushue was hoping to win a few games. But the team from Newfoundland and Labrador got on a roll in Halifax in December 2005, earning its way to the 2006 Games.

Despite facing adversity, including horrible ice conditions and sickness throughout the week, Gushue, Howard, third Mark Nichols and lead Jamie Korab persevered.

WATCH | Gushue set to return to Olympics for first time in 16 years:

Team Gushue’s return to the Olympics has been years in the making

13 days agoDuration 2:27With two members of Brad Gushue’s curling team going to the Olympics for the first time, the others who recall Torino and their gold medal fondly look to give the first time Olympians that feeling.More Olympics coverage

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