British Paralympic curling hopes hanging by a thread

MICHAEL McCreadie's hopes of upgrading his Torino silver are hanging by a thread after two further wheelchair curling defeats at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver.

DEJECTED: Michael McCreadie is trying to be upbeat - but one win from five matches has put his Paralympic medal hopes in major doubt (Getty Images)

The British skip lost to both Korea and the USA, leaving him with only one win from five matches so far.

And he admits one more loss could rule out any chance of a place in the knockout stages.

"I didn't really turn up at all," he said, following a 7-4 defeat to Korea, silver medallists at last year's World Championships.

"Every game from now on is a cup final and it's still all to play for."

Great Britain found themselves down early in both their games but McCreadie insists they can take heart from the way they fought back - especially against the USA, where they lost 8-7 on the final stone.

McCreadie - who is a veteran of six previous Paralympic Games, appearing as a swimmer, wheelchair basketball player and even lawn bowler before his transition to curling - will turn 64 tomorrow and knows a win against Germany is the only birthday present he requires.

"Sport is cruel but at this level of competition we have to make every game count," he added.

"We know we absolutely need to bring our ‘A' game from now on in."

Elsewhere, gold medal favourites Canada lost 8-4 to Sweden - their first defeat of the tournament.