By Aadi Nair
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Canada's Brad Jacobs last featured in an Olympic final 12 years ago. For teammates Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert, it has been 16 years. All three now have a chance to win a second curling gold medal but a lot has changed, not least the sport itself.
On Thursday, Canada beat Norway 5-4 in the semi-finals to set up a final against world champions Britain on Saturday.
Asked how his thinking was different to when he led Canada to victory at the 2014
Games in Sochi, Jacobs said: "Back in Sochi, I really felt like we were going to win gold.
"We had worked our way through that event and got stronger and stronger and stronger. We became very dominant throughout the playoffs. This time, curling has changed, curling is a lot more difficult.
"The game against Britain is a coin flip, 50-50. Either team could win that game. I'm grateful to have secured a medal and played as well as we have all week. Now we just have one opportunity to leave it all out in the ice and see what happens."
OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS
Canada's Hebert was 26 when he won gold under Kevin Martin on home ice in Vancouver in 2010.
"You go to the Olympics your very first time, you win Olympic gold in your home country undefeated, and you're just, 'I can do this every time'," Hebert said.
"That's not how it went in my career, and that's not how it goes for anybody ... There's so many good teams and players that want to get here. The game's changed a lot since 2010. The ice has changed, the way players throw it, how good everybody is ...
"Sometimes it's tough to teach an old dog new tricks. But I've had guys like Brad and Marc come in and push me to new levels to continue to elevate my game, so that I can still be out here at 42."
SECOND WIND
Kennedy, who has been at the forefront of controversy in Cortina after reacting angrily to being accused of cheating, said he walked away from curling after Canada missed out on a medal at the 2018 Games.
"I semi-retired six years ago, so to be back here is pretty incredible, and to be with these guys – really proud of my team," the 44-year-old said.
"We lost the Olympics in 2018, we got fourth place, my hip was a mess, and I was exhausted. I was ready to step away from the game.
"Then an opportunity came up to play with Brad Jacobs the following year. Working a real job wasn't as much fun as I thought, so it was time to get back on the ice."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair; Editing by Ken Ferris)
