Canada's Bernard buckles to hand Norberg second Olympic gold

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 SWEDEN'S Anette Norberg has become the first female skip in history to defend her Olympic title as Canada's Cheryl Bernard buckled under the pressure having twice been within touching distance of victory.

CHAMPIONS: Anette Norberg takes her chances to seal her second consecutive Olympic title in Vancouver (Getty Images)

Bernard had ordinarily routine take-out shots in the tenth and 11th ends to take gold in what would have been Canada's ninth gold medal. Instead she snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Norberg was the willing recipient of a 7-6 victory, her second Olympic title, having taken gold in Turin as Bernard fell just short of owning the podium.

It could have been a completely different story had Bernard held her nerve in the final end but as we have seen through these Olympics, home advantage can be a hindrance, just as much as a help.

All she had to do was clear the single Swedish stone in the house out but she completely fluffed her lines, ensuring Norberg had a relatively easy shot to force the extra end.

It was by no means a forgone conclusion and Norberg had been far from best but she had ice running through her veins to pull level at 6-6 and seize the impetus heading into the 11th end.

And with the hammer and presented with another relatively simple take-out shot, Bernard again mis-fired to hand Norberg her second Olympic title as silence fell at the Vancouver Olympic Centre.

"It was an extraordinary game," said Norberg.

"It was the goal ever since Turin four years ago to come back and win another gold. We had a great week but we weren't happy just being in the final. Winning gold again is absolutely unbelievable.

"All of the team are like my sisters. They are my best friends."

Canada drew first blood in the final which pitted defending champions against red-hot home favourites but it did not take long for Norberg's experience to tell.

Bernard's quality is not in question, after all she won nine of her ten matches before arriving in the final, including an earlier round robin victory against Sweden.

But she lacks big-game experience. Bernard proved victorious in the extremely competitive Canadian trials to earn her place in Vancouver, but it is her first major competition and finally the nerves began to show.

Norberg on the other hand, has seven European titles and two World Championships to her name and a double in the third and fifth ends handed her a 4-2 advantage, after Bernard had managed a single in the fourth.

After the mid-match interval however, Bernard was in the ascendancy and a single in the sixth was swiftly followed by a double in the seventh handed her a 5-4 lead.

The eighth was blanked, then a steal in the ninth took Bernard to the brink of victory. Especially when Norberg handed her a relatively simple shot to wrap up the win in front of 6000 expectant fans.

But Bernard buckled and Norberg forced an extra end. Presented with another chance at victory, Bernard was once more found wanting.

"You couldn't ask for any more than that. That shot to win a game. Unfortunately it came up in the extra end as well. Those are the shots you need to make," said Bernard.

"But we're proud of our performance, just like a lot of the Canadian female athletes will be. I think the funding has helped immensely.

"It's given us all the help we need to get here, access to sports psychologists and more. I think you can see that come through at these Games.

"We are going to enjoy this moment and then we'll think about the future eventually but not right now."

  AS IT HAPPENS: Day 15 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver