Sorry, no medal

PINEROLO – Britain’s defending Olympic curling champion has apologised to her home nation for failing to get a medal at the Turin Games.

Martin’s quintet were knocked out of the competition on Monday despite a 10-4 win over the United States because they had not gathered enough points in the rest of the round-robin stage to gain a semi-final berth. “I apologise to the nation for not getting to the last stages.I’m sorry we let them down,” Martin told reporters.Martin became a household name in Britain at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002 when her last stone in the last game against Switzerland gave Britain its first gold since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s Bolero ice dance in 1984.Her fortunes have fallen in the past year with the breakdown of her marriage and financial problems that forced the mother-of-two to sign on for welfare prompting speculation she could retire from curling after these Olympics.But Martin, who is renowned for her professionalism and pleasantness, said she would be playing in the Scottish championships next week.-Nampa-Reuters”I apologise to the nation for not getting to the last stages.I’m sorry we let them down,” Martin told reporters.Martin became a household name in Britain at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002 when her last stone in the last game against Switzerland gave Britain its first gold since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s Bolero ice dance in 1984.Her fortunes have fallen in the past year with the breakdown of her marriage and financial problems that forced the mother-of-two to sign on for welfare prompting speculation she could retire from curling after these Olympics.But Martin, who is renowned for her professionalism and pleasantness, said she would be playing in the Scottish championships next week.-Nampa-Reuters