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Canadian curler and Olympic champion E.J. Harnden calls it his career.
Harnden announced Sunday in an Instagram post that he is playing his last full season of competitive curling.
A 42-year-old man from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., currently plays second on Matt Dunstone's Winnipeg team alongside his brother and leader Ryan Harden.
The Harnden brothers won Olympic gold at the 2014 Sochi Games on the team that their cousin Brad Jacobs missed out on.
E.J. Harnden has also won four silver medals at the world championships (2013, 2022, 2023, 2024) and two Canadian men's curling championships in 2023 and 2024, winning both titles at the Brad Gushue Rink in St. John's.
He will compete for his fourth career Brier title from Feb. 27 to March 8 in St. John's.
“This sport has given me more than I could have imagined. From the first stone I threw to competing at the highest level, curling has shaped me,” Harnden wrote in a lengthy post thanking his teammates, coaches and family. “Every time I stepped on the ice, I gave everything I had—for my team, for the moment, and for the love of the game.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities, experiences and memories curling has provided me with Canadian championships, Grand Slam wins and the honor of winning an Olympic gold medal. These moments will stay with me forever.”
