Kevin Martin continues perfect streak and wraps up Olympic gold

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 CANADA'S Kevin Martin was close to tears as his national anthem rang out when putting the finishing touches to his flawless Olympic campaign.

VICTORY: Kevin Martin completes his perfect run in Vancouver as his 11th win out of 11 ensures Olympic gold (Getty Images)

Martin arrived in Vancouver as the red-hot favourite but as some of compatriots have failed to capitalise on home advantage, the men's curling team have been completely dominant and wrapped up gold with their 11th straight victory.

 

"We put this team together with the idea of trying to get to Vancouver," said Martin. "It was hard work to try to get to the finish line. I don't know whether being undefeated makes any difference.

"It was a tough game to play."

Norway's Thomas Ulsrud, the beaten finalist, has proved among his most worthy adversaries but in the Vancouver Olympic Centre, Kevin Martin has been invincible and in the final he was once more too strong and sealed a 6-3 win.

Martin put the finishing touches to victory with a routine shot in the tenth end as the 6000-strong crowd that included Prime Minister Stephen Harper erupted.

If this is how they celebrate curling gold just imagine the scenes at Canada Hockey Place on Sunday should the home nation's ice hockey team prove successful.

Martin, as he has been throughout, was on top from the word go. Slowly but surely he picked Ulsrud off in the opening ends and found himself 3-0 with a trio of singles after five ends.

Ulsrud and co, as their garish attire would suggest, have proved in Vancouver that they are in no way all mouth and no trousers and deserve their silver medal.

But Martin and his rink have been in a class of their own. Ulsrud did make things interesting with a double in the sixth end before dissention in the Canadian ranks threatened to tear up the script.

Martin and third John Morris were visibly at odds over what shot to play but calm was swifty restored when the hosts secured a double in the seventh end and 5-2 advantage to put one hand on gold.

The skips exchanged singles and ensuring Canada led 6-3 in the final end in what essentially proved to be curling's equivalent of a lap of honour as Martin captured his country's 13th gold medal of Vancouver 2010.

 

"Whenever you're in a new team, it's very motivating. We've a couple of young guys full of piss and vinegar and I think that refreshed the team," added Morris.

"Kevin taught us a lot about patience and game management. The biggest difference with this team is that all four of us have a commitment to excellence and will do what it takes to get on top of the world.

"Before the match I told my team that the word of the day is 'relentless'. We're going to play the Canadian curling game that we know how to play and not think about gold but what we have to do to make the next shot."

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day 16 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver