Brad Gushue is preparing to say goodbye to curling after 20 years

Brad Gushue, 45, marks 20 years since his 2006 Olympic gold and is preparing to retire from competitive curling as his team opens the Brier in St. John's.

Brad Gushue is marking the 20th anniversary of his 2006 Olympic gold while preparing to step away from competitive curling. He is 45 and home in St. John's ahead of the Brier, which begins Friday. Gushue says his career checked items from a teenage vision board and that he has no regrets. He expects the tournament week to be emotional as he competes in what he describes as his final national championship. Key details: - Gushue won Olympic gold in Turin in 2006 with teammates Russ Howard, Mark Nichols, Jamie Korab and Mike Adam. - He is 45 and has claimed multiple national and Grand Slam titles, including six Briers, 15 Grand Slam of Curling titles, and has two Olympic medals. - Team Gushue opens play at the Montana's Brier in St. John's on Friday at 7:30 p.m. NT against Quebec. - Gushue says he plans to retire from competitive curling, does not expect to play recreationally, and is looking forward to spending more time with his family and watching his daughters curl. - He narrowly missed qualifying for the most recent Olympics and watched Brad Jacobs win gold in Milan. Summary: Gushue's decision closes a multi-decade competitive career that included an Olympic gold medal and many national and Grand Slam titles. He will compete at this week's Brier in St. John's and has announced plans to step away from competitive play afterward. Undetermined at this time is how he will mark his formal retirement or what specific pursuits he will take on next.