mustache, mullet haircut and big heart, who is Matt Hamilton, the new curling star?

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Lewis is no longer the only Hamilton has shone on the tracks. If the Briton excels on the tarmac with a steering wheel in his hand, his American namesake, Matt, shines on the ice, with a granite stone at his fingertips. Reigning Olympic champion, Matt Hamilton is becoming a figure of these Beijing Olympics, where more was expected from Shaun White, Marco Odermatt or Mikaela Shiffrin. And if he is still on track to retain his title, it is not for his performances that “Super Mario” is a hit on social networks.

Mustache, hair on the shoulders, belly and tattoos on the forearm: Matt Hamilton seems straight out of a forest in his native Wisconsin, he is the native of Madison whose skyline he tattooed. In 2018, his red cap and mustache had already made him a social media star, even before he won Olympic gold with teammate John Shuster.

Four years later, the five-time world champion has not changed, apart from his hair. A new cut for a good reason, since the American explained doing this for the association Stache Strong “an amazing charity doing amazing things and I’m thrilled to help raise funds and awareness for brain cancer research!” Proof that Matt Hamilton has mastered fine gestures off the curling rink. He also ostensibly displays his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Research and development technician for the year, Matt Hamilton also takes care of his style, which makes people react on social networks. We could see him on the track with socks in homage to the cartoon Rick & Morty. But it is above all his Nike on the foot that charms the fans. A calculated blow by the curler, who told ESPN that he was excited to go to Beijing with his shoes “absolutely flamboyant”. Thanks to a Teflon sole, Matt Hamilton can glide in style on the curling rinks.

“It’s important to feel good in your curling shoes, it’s a bit like bowling shoes”, analyzes our consultant Pauline Jeanneret. But more than an aesthetic fantasy, the Frenchwoman sees it as a way to develop curling in the United States: “For a discipline that is not popular, it has to be talked about in one way or another. They chose to do it by their style, and then they are Olympic champions anyway”. The image sent by Matt Hamilton, Team USA’s second pitcher after John Shuster, is therefore far from being anecdotal. Even if it surprises.

“They have a look, but also a special physical condition at a time when curlers have become real athletes, who follow real physical preparation. It seems like it comes out of nowhere.”

Pauline Jeanneret

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However, behind the image of a somewhat cliché lumberjack hides a formidable Olympic champion, recalls Pauline Jeanneret: “With Shuster, they are very experienced. Experience is very important for curling strategy. They clash a bit with their style but they totally have their place in the Olympics”.

An avid golfer and fisherman, Matt Hamilton ticks all the human champion boxes. What Pauline Jeanneret confirms: “He’s a very good person, he gets on well with all the other players. He even invited the Swedes to his wedding. He’s really a character”. And also a serious gold medal contender, who her sister Becca could also bring back with the women’s team. Because as exuberant as he is in appearance, on the track Matt Hamilton is above all a formidable curler, very effective. And if the final square is still far away, Super Mario hopes to jump once again on the top step of the podium.


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