been taking the allergy medication regularly for seven years on

CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Braden Calvert’s Manitoba team won’t have much time to savour its second straight men’s gold medal at the M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Curling Championships. The mad dash back to Winnipeg will begin at approximately 2:15 a.m. local time in Corner Brook Monday as the team catches the bus to the airport in Deer Lake — approximately three hours after finishing off its 8-6 gold-medal game victory over Saskatchewan’s Jacob Hersikorn at the Corner Brook Civic Centre. Two flights later, the team is scheduled to land in Winnipeg to an undoubtedly memorable airport reception with friends, family and local media. And then, Tuesday, it’s off to Brandon for practice day at the Manitoba men’s championship in preparation for Wednesday’s first-round game against East St. Paul’s Evan Martin. So much for a week-long celebration. “I’m in a little bit of shock right now,” marvelled Calvert, a 19-year-old University of Manitoba student. “We’re just overwhelmed and super-excited about winning the national championship, and I’m sure it’ll sink in a little bit more tomorrow.” Sunday’s win — marking Manitoba’s third straight M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors men’s gold medal, after Calvert’s victory last year in Liverpool, N.S., and Matt Dunstone’s win the year before in Fort McMurray, Alta. — capped a brilliant week for Dunstone, third Kyle Kurz, second Lucas Van Den Bosch, lead Brendan Wilson and coach Tom Clasper. After losing their opener to Quebec’s Félix Asselin, the Manitobans rattled off 10 straight victories en route to gold. In the final, Manitoba never trailed, taking single points in the first two ends, one more in the third and a beautiful chap-and-lie deuce in the sixth to go up 5-2. “It wasn’t an easy shot, and definitely wasn’t easy to look at from the hack,” said an admiring Kurz of the sixth-end masterpiece. “You couldn’t see the inside of it, and if it’s heavy at all, it’s hanging outside and we’re not getting our deuce. But I had full confidence in him making that shot; he makes those left, right and centre.” Saskatchewan would bounce back with deuces in the seventh and ninth ends, sandwiched around a Manitoba single to tie the game. In the 10th, though, Hersikorn’s last-rock draw attempt came up short and Calvert didn’t need to throw his last rock. “I think being here once and doing it once definitely helped us focus on what we had to do and helped us handle the nerves a bit better,” said Calvert. “I thought we were a lot more comfortable this year.” It was an all-around good week for the team; back at the Calvert family cattle ranch in Carberry, it was calving season. Braden’s older brother Trevor handled one of those births, and immediately named the newborn Tommy in honour of the team coach. While that aspiring bull is taking its first tottering steps, the Calvert team will have aspirations of its own at the Manitoba men’s championship. “It’s pretty neat to go to an event where you have Jeff Stoughton, Mike McEwen and Reid Carruthers at it, guys you’ve watched on TV and idolized for years,” he said. “It’s amazing to know that we’ll have a chance to play them. We’ll have a lot of fun at that event.” Once the Manitoba championship is done, Calvert will turn his attention to wearing the Maple Leaf at the 2015 World Junior Championships, beginning Feb. 28 in Tallinn, Estonia. Last year in Flims, Switzerland, the Canadian team lost the bronze-medal game to Norway. “We can’t await to put the Maple Leaf on and try to do Camada proud, and hopefully do a little bit better than last year. Puma Online Sale Australia . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Puma Outlet Store Australia . Mako Vunipola was promoted from the reserves, with Matt Mullan called up to the bench on Thursday. "It is important that Joe is with his partner at this exciting time," England coach Stuart Lancaster said. http://www.pumaaustraliawholesale.com/ . -- Slugger Jose Abreu, All-Star left-hander Chris Sale and closer Matt Lindstrom are on the disabled list. Puma Wholesale Australia . Gorges is believed to have suffered the injury while blocking a shot with a hand during Montreals win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Canadiens added to their defensive depth this week by acquiring veteran Mike Weaver from the Florida Panthers. Cheap Puma Shoes Australia . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night.LONDON -- Swedish hockey star Nicklas Backstrom will receive an Olympic silver medal even though he was suspended from the final in Sochi after a positive drug test. The International Olympic Committee ruled Friday that Backstrom had not intended to enhance his performance, laying the blame for his positive test for pseudoephedrine on the Swedish team doctor. The Washington Capitals centre was suspended and pulled from the team just hours before the Feb. 23 gold-medal game, which Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada. The Swedes were outraged by the timing of the decision and said it affected the teams performance. The IOC defended the suspension, saying it was "fully justified" because of the positive test and noting that Backstrom conceded also taking the allergy medication on the day of the final. But the IOC ruled that the player should not be kicked out of the Sochi Games altogether, citing "mitigating circumstances." "There was no indication of any intent of the athlete to improve his performance by taking a prohibited substance," the IOCs three-person disciplinary commission said. "As a consequence, the athlete is entitled to receive the silver medal and diploma awarded in respect of the mens ice hockey event." Backstrom tested positive for excess levels of pseudoephedrine after Swedens win over Slovenia in the quarter-finals on Feb. 19. He said the stimulant was contained in "Zytec-D," a medication he had been taking for allergies. The IOC said the positive result in the "A" sample was confirmed on the morning of Feb.dddddddddddd 23. A hearing with Backstrom and Swedish team officials was quickly assembled. Among those attending was Bjorn Waldeback, the Swedish hockey team doctor and chief medical officer of the Swedish Olympic Committee. The IOC said Backstrom had "nothing to hide" and explained he had been taking the allergy medication regularly for seven years on the advice of a doctor and had never produced a positive test. He said he had taken the medication earlier that day. The IOC said Backstrom told the panel he knew the medication contained pseudoephedrine but relied on Waldebacks advice that the dosage would not trigger a positive test. Waldeback said he was "at fault" for that advice. Backstroms backup "B" sample was tested later on Feb. 23 and also came back positive. The IOC ruled that Backstrom committed an anti-doping violation by having the banned substance in his system. But the panel said he had been "open and co-operative," had disclosed the medication on his doping control form and had relied on Waldebacks advice. The IOC ruled that Waldeback "made a serious error" by telling Backstrom his use of the medication would not result in a positive test. If the doctor applies for Olympic accreditation in the future, the IOC should "seriously consider" his role in the case, the panel said. The IOC said the decision "should in no way" be seen as taking away from the responsibility of athletes to be vigilant and ensure that no prohibited substances enter their body. ' ' '