Comeback Complete: bruce mouat Leads GB to 8-5 Semi-final Win Over Switzerland
bruce mouat delivered when it mattered most as Team GB's men's rink secured an 8-5 victory over Switzerland in the curling semi-final, capping a run of decisive wins that revived Britain's medal hopes at the Winter Olympics in Cortina.
bruce mouat's key shot and the route to the semis
The British rink's semi-final triumph was the latest twist in a week of high drama. Earlier in the tournament the men posted a statement 9-2 win over the United States, wrapping that contest in just six ends and underlining a return to form at the perfect moment. That performance left qualification scenarios hinging on other results, but the team forced the issue on the ice and did not wait for outside help.
In the semi-final itself a telling moment arrived in the seventh end: a precision stone from bruce mouat was described by team members as the turning point, an "incredible" play that swung momentum and gave Britain the opening they needed to close out the match. Teammates credited a half-time recalibration in technique and strategy, with the rink adapting cleanly in the second half to secure the 8-5 scoreline.
What the win means for Britain's medal hopes — and the wider picture for the women
The men's victory keeps Olympic medal possibilities very much alive. Coming after a day in which British rinks had to deliver under pressure, the result completes a mini-resurrection that began with the must-win escapades earlier in the tournament. Those three crucial wins — including the emphatic triumph over the USA — shifted the British outlook from elimination contemplation to genuine contention.
The women's squad experienced a rollercoaster of outcomes on the same programme. They produced a strong 7-4 win over Italy in one match, a result that would have been celebrated in isolation. Yet the wider scoreboard drama intervened: a dramatic extra-end 7-6 victory for another team effectively left the women's rink agonisingly eliminated from contention, even after a spirited performance. The dual narratives — the men's late flourish and the women's near-miss — captured the unpredictable nature of round-robin curling at this Games.
Next steps and context for the final rounds
For bruce mouat and his teammates, the semi-final win means attention now turns to the medal matches, where the rink will face its next opponent with confidence restored. The team emphasized that the path through Cortina demanded both tactical sharpness and mental resilience; the ability to execute under pressure, as in the seventh end of the semi-final, will be vital if they are to upgrade previous hardware into gold.
Meanwhile the women's crew will spend the immediate hours regrouping and reflecting on what might have been after a sequence of tense encounters. Their March through the round-robin included moments of bold shot-making and late-end heroics, but the margins in this tournament have proved unforgiving.
Overall, Britain leaves this phase with curling headlines that mix elation and heartbreak. The men's side, buoyed by bruce mouat's shot-making and a decisive victory over Switzerland, are now firmly in the hunt for an Olympic medal; the women, despite flashes of brilliance, will bow out with the knowledge that they pushed opponents to the limit in a weekend of scarcely believable drama.
