WHEN the World Curling Championships come to Glasgow next month, there will one member of the Scottish team who will feel particularly at home.
Hammy McMillan lives across the road from the Emirates Arena, where the World Championships will be held, and the 27-year-old is hoping home advantage can help drive him and his teammates to a spot on the podium.
McMillan is no stranger to competing at major championships in his home country having been a part of the team who represented Scotland at the European Championships in Glasgow in 2016, when Braehead hosted the event.
At that competition, Scotland finished in sixth place but McMillan’s rink, which is skipped by Bruce Mouat, is in excellent form and so are optimistic they put a greater challenge for a medal on home ice this time around.
McMillan is fully focussed on claiming some silverware to add to the world bronze they won in 2018. And he admits the disappointment of his last major championship in Glasgow drives him on ahead of these World Championships. And he is hoping the home advantage will be the boost required to defeat the best in the world
“Braehead was a bit disappointing for me because we didn’t medal, but this time going to Glasgow with these boys I’m even hungrier,” he said.
“The Emirates is on my doorstep. I live across the road and can see the arena out of my flat window, so I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve trained at the gym there as well, so it’s really going to be home from home for us.”
McMillan and his teammates are in good form – they are currently ranked fourth in the world and are fresh from winning the Scottish Championships in Perth at the weekend.
Their latest win competed their hat-trick and it was their second victory in Perth this year having won the World Curling Tour Perth Masters just a few weeks ago.
With just over a month until the World Championships, McMillan believes they are in good shape to make their presence felt at the Emirates Arena.
“Three years in a row with these boys,” he said of their latest Scottish Championships victory.
“It’s been pretty special and a good journey so far.
“We’ve really turned a corner in the second half of the season, so we’ve got to keep putting in the sort of performances that we have since January. It is great to have this opportunity in front of us and I am really looking forward to it.”
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