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Gran Knits Her Way Through grandsons' Olympic Curling Gold Bid
20 Feb
Summary
- An 87-year-old grandmother knits while watching grandsons compete.
- She helped create an ice rink that produced a curling dynasty.
- Her family has a long history of success in curling championships.
Janet McMillan, 87, is supporting her grandsons, Grant Hardie and Hammy McMillan, as they compete for Team GB in the Winter Olympics men's curling.
While watching the tense matches, Mrs. McMillan engages in her habit of knitting charity blankets, a pastime she has maintained since her son's World Championship win in 1999.
Her family has a deep connection to curling. In 1961, she and her late husband, Hammy McMillan (who passed away aged 91 in 2023), purchased the North West Castle hotel in Stranraer. They later built an ice rink on the premises in 1967.
Initially intended to boost hotel bar patronage, the rink quickly evolved into a significant hub for the sport. It has since been the training ground for numerous European, World, and Olympic champions, solidifying its status as a producer of elite curling talent.
