BEIJING (AP) 鈥� When she settled into her room at the athlete鈥檚 village in Beijing, American curler Nina Roth to remind herself of the support she has back home.
Her teammates brought the real thing.
Skip Tabitha Peterson needs only to look down the ice for a comforting face: Her sister, Tara, is also on the U.S. women鈥檚 team. Becca Hamilton鈥檚 brother is playing for the American men, giving them something most athletes at these Olympics can鈥檛 have 鈥� family in Beijing to support them.
鈥淭o be able to lean on my brother 鈥� and I guess it鈥檚 the same for the sisters on my team, they have each other 鈥� it鈥檚 just awesome to have some sort of family here,鈥� Becca Hamilton said. 鈥淚 mean it鈥檚 not always rainbows and butterflies. But for the most part, it鈥檚 great.鈥�
Much like last year鈥檚 Summer Games in Tokyo, the Winter Olympics are being played in only partially filled venues and without foreign fans. China has also imposed travel restrictions in an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19.
That forced most athletes to leave at home the small entourage of friends and relatives that would ordinarily accompany them to the Olympics 鈥� part of the payoff for helping them reach the pinnacle of their sport.
鈥淭his is such an opportunity, that our family members also work for, and none of us would be able to do this without their support,鈥� said Roth, who also competed in Pyeongchang. 鈥淚t was really good fun to celebrate with them at the last Olympics. So it鈥檚 a big bummer that they can鈥檛 be here this time.鈥�
But some of her teammates found the perfect way to get around the restrictions. The Hamiltons competed as a mixed doubles pair four years ago and are still spending plenty of time together at these Olympics.
鈥淚鈥檝e got, like, one of my best friends and my curling partner here,鈥� Matt Hamilton said. 鈥淣ot only do I have a sister and a confidant in here, I鈥檝e got someone who鈥檒l do my laundry. ... So she really takes care of me while we鈥檙e out here.鈥�
They aren't the only families hanging out at the Ice Cube curling venue this month.
The mixed doubles field last week featured two married couples: Norway鈥檚 Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien, who won the silver medal, and Czechs Zuzana Paulova and Tomas Paul. Canadian men's and women's players Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are engaged, with plans to wed in June.
And the Danish women鈥檚 curling team also includes a pair of sisters, Madeleine and Denise Dupont.
鈥淚 think it just makes the bond between us a lot stronger,鈥� Madeleine Dupont said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine not seeing her all the time.鈥�
A niche sport played mostly in a few colder climes, curling has long been a family affair, passed down from parents like a treasured heirloom or favorite recipe.
Norway's Magnus Vaagberg is the son of two Olympic curlers. His father, Lars, and uncle Paal Trulsen won gold in 2002 in a foursome that also included Magnus' current teammate 鈥� and six-time Olympian 鈥� Torger Nergaard.
鈥淚 remember staying up late, understanding that something cool had happened,鈥� said Vaagberg, who was 7 at the time. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something very unique with curling, a tight family bond all over. So you play against the people that played against my father at the time, and their sons and daughters, it鈥檚 quite cool.鈥�
The Petersons鈥� mother grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and picked up curling from her father. She taught it to her daughters, who started when they were 10 and 8; a brother, Trent, also curled for a while before turning to professional golf.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e kind of born into the sport,鈥� Tara Peterson said.
While siblings might be expected to team up, there's no guarantee that they'll get along over the hundreds of hours they spend together practicing, playing and traveling to tournaments each year. Tensions between any set of teammates can boil over 鈥� even before adding in the additional resentment over who wrecked the family car or neglected to take out the trash.
Madeleine Dupont said she and her sister used to fight about curling until their mother would give them a time out.
鈥淲hen we were young, 100%, my mom was always like, 鈥楴ow we need curling-free time. You can鈥檛 talk about curling all the time,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淣ow we all live separate places, so it鈥檚 not a problem anymore. But it鈥檚 still hard to just leave it at the rink.鈥�
Nedregotten said he and Skaslien do what they call a 鈥渉ot wash鈥� 鈥� talking out their feelings before moving on to the next match. Mostly, though, the siblings and spouses say teaming up with a relative might even offer a competitive edge.
鈥淲e鈥檙e on the same page a lot without even really need to say anything,鈥� Tabitha Peterson said. 鈥淚f there is any conflict, or whatever, I think it鈥檚 easier as siblings to kind of forgive and forget a lot quicker."
American men鈥檚 skip John Shuster is at his fifth Olympics. When he won the gold medal in Pyeongchang, his parents, wife and one of his children were in the crowd. These Games, he is FaceTiming his family from 14 time zones away, while they organize watch parties and to stay connected the best way they can.
鈥淚鈥檝e been fortunate to have them with me at four Olympics,鈥� Shuster said. 鈥淭his is a chance for them to be at home and experience the Olympics with a lot of friends and family that have never come to the Olympics with us.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e getting a chance to see that other side,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not better, for sure. But it鈥檚 not really feeling any worse, either.鈥�
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Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press
