Charlotte McKenna and Hugh Nibloe were unable to complete their World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles campaign with the win that would have brought them gold medals in front of their home supporters, but the Scotland pair were congratulated for the way they got the results that mattered most for the domestic game in reaching the final against Japan.
Up against opponents who produced exceptional play in the medal matches, the Scots started encouragingly when a two at the second end edged them into an early 2-1 lead, but from that point it was all Japan as they regained the lead with a three at the third end, then steadily pulled clear from that point in running out 11-2 winners.
In the wider context of Winter Paralympic qualification, however, the semi-final had been the more important game for the Scots and British Curling’s Performance Director Dave Leith had nothing but praise for the way McKenna and Nibloe had carried the organisations hopes, rising to the challenge repeatedly throughout the week.
“The medal outcome today surpassed expectations,” said Leith.
“Ultimately we had clear objectives coming into these World Championship events which were to ensure both Scotland and England stayed in the A division and also our points carriers got both team and mixed doubles ParalympicsGB places and they achieved all of that.”
With both British teams performing as they did, Leith pointed to the scale of the opportunities that arise as a result of both qualifying in both disciplines and having had four teams in action across two challenging weeks of competition. 
“Bringing in new athletes into this environment through the pathway also ensured new talent was getting experience at this level and that required a step change in the performance levels required to achieve those goals and everyone rose to the occasion,” he said.
“We also had two new coaches in Luke Carson and Niall Ryder working with both England and Scotland and I think both the athletes and coaches showed their resilience and their ability to stick to the game plan throughout and they did a phenomenal job in reminding everyone of the Para programme ethos that ‘we play for each other not ourselves’.
“That team spirit set the tone and helped them achieve all of the goals in front of them.
“We now have a broader squad base combining our Scotland and England curlers who are up for the challenge and want to play for a wider squad and we have a very exciting opportunity in the year ahead building towards Milan Cortina.”
For McKenna it was a first major medal and the 50-year-old from Bridge of Allan is now looking forward to that internal competition for Paralympic places.
“This feels unbelievable,” she said. 
“I’m just so, so happy… I never thought a week ago that this would happen.
“I think we got stronger and stronger as a team as the games went on.
“It’s a big goal to work towards now, with some good, healthy competition there, so everybody’s going to fight for those places.”
For the more experienced Nibloe it was a second World Championship silver medal on home ice, having been part of the four player team that reached the final in Stirling in 2019 and he now has his sights set on competing at a third Winter Paralympics.
“This is disappointing just now, but I’m sure when I look back and reflect on it all I’ll be proud of what we’ve achieved this week,” he said.
“Winning a silver medal the first I’ve played in a World Mixed Doubles Championship is not a bad strike rate and hopefully we can carry this forward into next season and we can medal in both the team and mixed doubles events in Milan-Cortina.
“I’m just delighted that we’re going to have two teams there.”
After a gruelling fortnight in which he had also skipped the Scotland team that finished one place away from the play-off places the previous week, he paid tribute to his mixed doubles partner as he noted that the British Curling programme now looks well set to prepare for Milan-Cortina.
“I came here with two missions, but the job in the team event was pretty much done, so we have to thank those who secured points in the previous two years for that and I can only see those involved in the team event getting better,” he said. 
“It was more of a challenge in the mixed doubles, which is not something I’ve played a lot of over the years.
“We’ve obviously done some training in it, but tactically I’m not as educated as I am in the team game, so it was a steep learning curve, but one I was confident of taking on board and I’m glad I’ve managed to contribute towards getting that spot.
“Charlotte played some unbelievable shots against some of the best players in the world which kept us in the fight, so it was great to see her performing on that stage.
“If you’d have said at the start of the week that we’d have had to get silver medals to qualify I don’t know if I’d have had as much confidence, but we believed the whole way through that we could win any game.
“It’s going to be interesting when we come back together as a squad at the start of April when it won’t be an England and Scotland squad, it’ll be a British Curling squad, all chasing after the same goals.
“That competition is hopefully going to push everyone on to raise their game again and we’ll hopefully be there or thereabout when it comes to medals next year.
“We’ve certainly proved this week and last week with some of our results that we’ve got the potential to go out to Milan-Cortina and do something special.
“It’s just down to us to put in the hard work that’s going to take us there and I think we’re all looking forward to it.”
World Curling Mixed Doubles Championships (March 11-16)
Day One -Tuesday 11 March
Session 2
Scotland – England 11-4
Session 4
Scotland – Turkiye 9-2
Day Two – Wednesday 12 March
Session 5
England – Slovakia 4-10
Session 7 – 16.30
England – Turkiye 9-5
Session 8
Scotland – Korea 5-10
Day Three – Thursday 13 March
Session 10
Scotland – Hungary 4-8
Session 12
Scotland – Slovakia 6-3
England – ESP 10-3
Day Four – Friday 14 March
Session 13
England – Hungary 8-7
Session 16
England – Korea 10-11
Scotland – ESP 9-6
Day Five – Saturday 15 March
Quarter Finals
Scotland – Czechia 10-4
Semi Finals
Scotland – Korea 6-5
Day Six – Sunday 16 March
Bronze medal match Korea – Estonia 5-9
Gold medal match Scotland – Japan 2-11
Please click here for results.
Scotland Mixed Doubles Team
Hugh Nibloe (skip)
Charlotte McKenna
Coaches:
Head Coach: Sheila Swan
Team Coach: Niall Ryder
England Mixed Doubles Team
Stewart Pimblett (skip)
Karen Aspey
Coaches:
Head Coach: Tony Lenton
Coach: Rosemary Lenton
For more information on our Paralympic Pathway Programme and opportunities please email: Cheryl.lappin@britishcurling.org.uk
Image: World Curling
