|
|
|
PHOTO GALLERY
Website maintained with LOTs of LOVE by NJRRC's RuningTurtle
|
From a curling novice to 2010 Paralympics By CHRIS LUNDY • TOMS RIVER BUREAU • February 14, 2008 POINT PLEASANT
— In a year, Jacqui Kapinowski went from not knowing much about a sport to being
a world leader in it. Kapinowski, 45, was introduced to the sport of wheelchair curling in July. Two weeks ago, the Point Pleasant resident competed on the United States team that beat Canada, 8-1, giving the USA the bronze medal in an international qualifying competition that cemented its place in the 2010 Paralympics. Norway beat South Korea in the gold-medal game. Kapinowski was always an athlete, even after being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome as a young woman, which causes painful muscle spasms. She developed the condition after two bouts with meningitis. Later, she competed in marathons, and it was after finishing one last year that she was approached by a person who asked her to try curling, an old Scottish sport. Less than a year later, she held her own against top players in the World Championships in Sursee, Switzerland. The third-place game against Canada came down to strategy, she said, blocking other players' stones to prevent them from gaining points. The object is to get the stone as close to the center of a series of concentric circles as possible. "I still don't believe it," she said. The tournament, which lasted several days, was a roller coaster of emotions. "You're crying one minute and laughing the next," she said. A low point came about halfway through the competition, when the United States was in fifth place. "We didn't think we had a shot," she said. Ultimately, the team finished high enough to guarantee a spot in the 2010 Paralympics, she said. "No one even had us in the top four or the top five," she said. Part of the team's success was its attitude. "We have a special bond," she said. And the feeling was shared with opposing teams as well. "Every time they got a good shot, we high-fived them," she said. Kapinowski credited her husband, Harry, for his support. He made the trip with her. "He's fantastic. He's one of a kind, that's for sure," she said. "It was a very long and stressful week," she said. The itinerary often included two games a day followed by practices. The team left Jan. 30 and returned Feb. 10. "What a roller coaster," she said. There was no time for sightseeing. "We saw the Alps on the bus ride there," she said. "If we had lost, we would have done some sightseeing, but I'd rather have the bronze medal around my neck." |
