TAHLI GILL
Olympic Winter Games Attended
BIOGRAPHY
Dean Hewitt and Tahli Gill were both destined to end up in curling, introduced to the sport at a young age by their parents.
At the 2019 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship held in April in Stavanger, Norway, Team Hewitt and Gill achieved a significant breakthrough performance, placing fourth in a field of 48 nations, the best-ever world championship finish, in any discipline, for an Australian team The team continued their strong form at the 2019 New Zealand Winter Games, taking home the silver medal in a strong international field, with another international medal also won in Saskatoon, Canada, with the team in second place at the Sutherland Mixed Doubles Curling Classic. Unfortunately, the 2020 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships scheduled to take place in Kelowna, Canada, had to cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. COVID again had a significant impact on the preparations for Hewitt and Gill in 2020-2021, with closed borders in Australia and difficulty traveling overseas restricting the opportunities to train and compete. The team eventually was able to head overseas for a training block ahead of the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships in Aberdeen, Scotland. In Aberdeen, the team finished the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships in 13th place overall, missing out on advancing to the playoff stage with a record of 3 wins and 6 losses. The highlight was no doubt the 3 point win over curling powerhouse, Canada, with Hewitt and Gill emerging victorious 8-5. Wins were also recorded against Hungary and Spain. In December 2021, Hewitt and Gill made history earning Australia’s first ever Olympic quota spot in Curling, after winning the Mixed Doubles Olympic Qualification Event in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. The pair defeated Korea 6-5 in the final to cap off an incredible tournament, with the Australian pair winning seven matches from seven to earn one of the final two Beijing 2022 quotas. In January 2022, Hewitt and Gill were selected to the Australian Team to make their Olympic debuts in Beijing, China. At the Beijing Games, Hewitt and Gill got off to a very unlucky start at the Olympics, as four of their first five round-robin matches ended in a one-point defeat. Ahead of their last day of competition, still searching for a win at Beijing 2022, Gill returned a series of positive COVID-19 tests which threatened to cut the duo's campaign short. Further analysis of Gill's health allowed for her to compete safely, which meant a frantic dash back to the competition ensued for the last two matches. The pair played exceptionally well and closed out their campaign with back-to-back wins over Canada and Switzerland, the PyeongChang 2018 gold and silver medallists respectively. Q & AProudest moment:
Making the semi-finals and finishing fourth at the 2019 World Mixed Double Curling Championships. I began my sport in ... I began playing curling in 2010 when I was 11 years old. I could hardly move the 20 kg rock, to begin with, but you have to start somewhere. When I am not training or competing I am: I am studying to be a Primary school teacher. However, when I am not studying, training and working casually as a waitress, I love spending time with friends and family, going to the beach, shopping and of course just chilling out. I enjoy my sport because ... Curling is such a great sport because of the community, sportsmanship, and friendships formed throughout the sport is truly special and not like another other sport I have played before. Curling really is like a big fun family. I also enjoy how accurate you have to be technically and strategically. The strategy and technique are always evolving as the sport grows and develops, which is really exciting to be a part of. Favourite international competition: My favourite competitions would be both World Mixed Double Curling Championships or World Junior B Curling Championships. Favourite Food: My favourite food is definitely chocolate (...I eat a little more than I probably should). Favourite Music: My favourite artist without a doubt is Queen B (Beyonce), but I also enjoy listening to music by Bazzi and the Arctic Monkeys, or anything from the top 100 hits. Favourite other sport to watch or play: I love watching Ice Hockey and Volleyball, and I really enjoy playing beach cricket and indoor soccer. LINKSOWIA News Search: Additional Links:
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