Generations on the ice: Curlers of all ages at the Wheelchair Curling Championship

Few sports have captured the hearts of people of all ages quite like wheelchair curling. A welcoming space for athletes at every stage of life, the sport has embraced participants who are still playing well into their retirement years, to those young enough to be their grandchildren.

This dynamic will be on full display the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2025, in Stevenston, Scotland from March 1. Two players with an age difference of 47 – Tommy Andersson and Linda Meijere – will square off in the round-robin stage when Sweden meet Latvia.

Andersson, 72, was a passionate football and bandy player in his home city of Jönköping before a life-changing injury in 1987 halted his sporting endeavours. It wasn’t until 2013 that he rediscovered his sporting spirit by joining his local curling club.

“It was a coworker who asked me to try curling, and I said ‘no, no, no, I don’t think it’s for me,’” Andersson recalled.

“I thought I was too old and I had two kids at home at the same time. But he started to push me and after the first time, I was stuck to it.”

Andersson at the World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2023 in Richmond, Canada © World Curling / Cheyenne Boone

High hopes for first team event

At first, Andersson played alone, but after a few weeks, other wheelchair players were invited to participate. He became one of the soon-to-be ten-strong team, which also included Sweden’s future skip, Viljo Petersson-Dahl. In their first national championship, the rookies claimed silver, making Andersson a two-time national champion.

He has also represented his country at two World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championships alongside Rebecka Carlsson and Johanna Glennert in 2023 and 2024 respectively. However, it will be the first time that Andersson plays as part of the World Wheelchair Curling Championship team, and he has high expectations.

“I think we can win the championship, but it’s very, very tight at the top,” he said.

“We have been fourth place in the last two championships. Now it’s time to step up and get on the podium. I think we have good chances to win or be in the top three.”

Tommy Andersson and Rebecka Carlsson at the World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2023 © World Curling / Cheyenne Boone

Never too late to start curling

Andersson admits that a post-competition malt whisky will be high on his to-do list and is relishing a trip to Scotland. He shows no signs of slowing down – after all, starting the sport at 60 and representing your country shows it’s never too late.

“If someone hasn’t played curling before, I would say to them, ‘this is new for you, but you will find it very, very stimulating’.

“Because it’s just not only to throw the stones, there are tactics, things to think about – how should we play, how would we do it – and I think that will motivate many older players.

“I think when I tried to get some older people to try curling, I motivate them by emphasising that it’s an intellectual game too, you have to understand the tactics and so on.

“Everyone who plays in our club here says that socialising is very important too and that’s the reason why some of the other guys my age come and play curling for social reasons and to talk together.

“They don’t have the goal to win the Swedish Championship, they just come up and play a couple of times a week, talk and get a cup of coffee.”

Team Sweden at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2025 opening ceremony © World Curing / Ansis Ventins

Creating life-long memories

Meijere is involved in a relatively new Latvian team which sees long-serving skip Polina Rozkova focus her efforts on the mixed doubles competition again instead.

She first tried curling in 2022 through a YouthParaSportsLV programme which supports activities with young disabled athletes.

“Before that, I didn’t even know what curling was,” said Meijere.

“After a few shots, the coach immediately asked me to train separately. In the end, the coach offered me a spot on the team.”

As a result, she started training with the team for the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2023, where she acted as alternate to the squad. Soon after, she became a playing member of the rink in 2024.

“Leaving for the World Championship for the first time in 2023, I couldn’t believe where I was and what I was doing for a long time,” said Meijere, who has also competed in athletics, including at the Latvian Athletics Championships.

“It was a very emotional experience, as much as it was new – starting from the long flight to finally participating in my first World Championship.

“By the time I went to the World Championship in 2024, I already knew what to expect. It was much easier to focus on the result.

“This World Championship was incredibly memorable, especially with the post-game emotions, particularly after the match against the Korean team, when I was shaking with so much emotion.”

In that match, Latvia – skipped by Ojars Briedis – managed to steal two in the final end to defeat the hosts 8-7. This result kept them in crucial play-off contention and saw them finish third in the round-robin stage.

Linda Meijere at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2023 © World Curling / Cheyenne Boone

High hopes for the team

Meijere is one of the youngest wheelchair curlers to ever compete at the World Championship. But to her age is just a number, and experience is much more important.

“I’ve never thought of age as something special,” said the Latvian.

“The only thing that matters is that I have plenty of time to improve my technique and achieve something big in the future.

“In this championship, I expect from myself to stay fully focused and give 100% on every shot, as there are only sixteen shots in one game.

“I hope to do the best I can and give my best performance.”

While the result of third-place last year did not turn into a bronze medal in the play-offs, Meijere has hopes that this time Latvia succeed. The opportunity of winning silverware in the mixed team event is available, as well as making amends for the heartbreaking qualification game defeat to Sweden last year.

And in that rematch between Team Briedis and Team Petersson-Dahl, this World Championship’s oldest and youngest curlers will shake hands on the ice.