{"id":13709,"date":"2026-02-20T05:13:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T05:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/13709\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T05:13:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T05:13:13","slug":"team-gb-guarantee-medal-in-mens-curling-at-winter-olympics-after-nail-biting-win-over-switzerland-sets-up-gold-medal-match-against-cheating-canadians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/13709\/","title":{"rendered":"Team GB guarantee medal in men’s curling at Winter Olympics after nail-biting win over Switzerland sets up gold medal match against ‘cheating’ Canadians"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RIATH AL-SAMARRAI, CHIEF SPORTS FEATURE WRITER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 16:19 EST, 19 February 2026 | Updated: 18:07 EST, 19 February 2026 <\/p>\n

One British woman soared and a group of Scotsmen flew, with both Zoe Atkin and the curling rink of Bruce Mouat setting themselves up for shots at gold medals on Saturday.<\/p>\n

For a variety of reasons there will be more excitement around the possibilities of Atkin, primarily because the American-born Brit qualified for the freestyle skiing halfpipe final in first place by a snowy mile. Secondly? Well, curling is an acquired taste.<\/p>\n

But Mouat and his team of Bobby Lammie, Grant Hardie and Hammy McMillan have achieved something quite improbable here, culminating in their semi-final win over Switzerland on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

The Swiss had been exceptional in the round-robin, qualifying for the knockouts in first place, and Mouat\u2019s Brits only survived by virtue of results elsewhere.<\/p>\n

And yet they have made the final against Canada, who defeated Norway 5-4, after belatedly remembering they are world champions.<\/p>\n

Canada were embroiled in a ‘cheating’ scandal earlier in the competition prompting worldwide scrutiny and even foul-mouth clashes with rivals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Great <\/p>\n

Great Britain are guaranteed a medal in the men’s curling after beating Switzerland<\/p>\n

\"Bruce <\/p>\n

Bruce Mouat could hardly believe it as his side advanced to the gold medal match\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Swiss put up a brilliant fight and it all came down to the final stone\u00a0<\/p>\n

Such an epiphany for the Brits appears to have arrived in timely fashion after a mediocre campaign and, suddenly, they are presented with a chance at Britain\u2019s first male curling gold since 1924. A Scottish farmer named William K Jackson was Mouat\u2019s equivalent back then.<\/p>\n

As for Atkin, the thrills are easier to spot and so is her dominance. The Stanford student, sister of Team GB\u2019s 2018 bronze medallist Izzy Atkin, qualified for Saturday\u2019s final in ominous form.<\/p>\n

Already the champion of the X Games and world championships, the 23-year-old laid an instant marker on the competition by scoring 91.5 points, a full 6.5 points clear of second, occupied by Fanghui Li of China. Eileen Gu, Li\u2019s team-mate, went through in fifth.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Sophie Jackson\u2019s efforts to emulate Eve Muirhead with a gold medal in the women\u2019s curling ended when her rink were dumped out in the round-robin.<\/p>\n

Having beaten Italy earlier in the day, their slim chance of survival to the semi-finals was eliminated after the United States beat Switzerland in a match that came down to an extra end.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A stunning final shot from Team USA\u2019s Tabitha Peterson secured Jackson\u2019s departure by a matter of millimetres.<\/p>\n

Sophie Sinclair, part of a British team that lost four of their first six matches before a belated recovery of three straight wins, said: \u2018Gutted. Absolutely gutted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘I think we were the best team out there at the end of the round robin, but we just left it too late.\u2019<\/p>\n

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