Bruce Mouat: GB Curlers Denied Olympic Gold Again as Canada Wins Men's Final
Bruce Mouat and his rink came to Cortina convinced this was their time, but they will leave Italy with silver after Canada beat Team GB 9-6 in the men's curling gold-medal match, denying Britain a men's Olympic curling gold that has eluded them for 102 years.
Bruce Mouat and team leave with silver for the second successive Olympics
Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie — with alternate Kyle Waddell — arrived in Cortina as world champions and favourites, carrying the expectation that they could end a century-long wait. They had hoped to vanquish disappointment from 2022, but instead leave as silver medallists for the second successive Olympics. Mouat was tear-choked after the defeat and said he was in shock, believing his team had been the better side despite the result.
Final match timeline: how GB lost 9-6
The Canadians, who had finished the round-robin stage ahead of Team GB and therefore had the hammer for the first end, were limited to a single point in that opening end. GB then took two in the second to move ahead. Canada overhauled GB in the third to go 3-2 up, and Britain clawed a point back to level after four ends. At the halfway mark Canada had had the hammer three times but only led 4-3 after the fifth end, following a miss from Brad Jacobs that failed to blank the end and retain the hammer.
Mouat executed a double takeout in the sixth to pick up two and give GB a 5-4 lead after a cagey opening half in which Mouat and 2014 gold-medallist Brad Jacobs traded points. Canada drew level after seven, and the eighth end proved pivotal when GB missed shots and managed only a single point, leaving Britain 6-5 ahead with Canada holding the hammer for the penultimate end. With a four on offer in the ninth, Canada took three to go 8-6 into the final end. In the 10th, Mouat spun in a stone that removed two Canadian counters, but Canada produced a decisive response to regain ascendancy and close out a 9-6 victory.
Road to the final and recent form in Cortina
The past 10 days in Italy were not straightforward for Mouat's rink. They were on the brink of a shock early exit as recently as Thursday, yet recovered to guarantee a medal. That same Thursday they produced an epic semi-final win over Switzerland — a victory Mouat described as nearly like winning gold in the moment — before advancing to the final. The loss to Canada in the final was the second time the Canadians had beaten them in five days; earlier in the tournament Jacobs' experienced team had taken a rare round-robin reverse over GB, a 9-5 result in which GB led after six ends before slipping away and leaving themselves needing favours from other teams.
Track record and rivalry with Canada
Mouat's rink arrived with an impressive recent record: two World Championship titles, a couple of European crowns and a record 12 Grand Slam titles since the last Olympics. They have generally boasted an excellent record against Canada and had beaten them in last year's world semi-finals, making the Canadian victories in Cortina notable reversals. The Canadian side themselves have had a tumultuous time in the event amid cheating claims, but they prevailed when it mattered most in the final.
Aftermath and what comes next
The result leaves Britain settling for silver and extends the long wait for a men's Olympic curling gold to 102 years. Mouat spoke of being overwhelmed by emotion and reflected on the support the team has received, expressing a hope that the performance and the medal might inspire more people to take up the sport. Beyond immediate reaction, the outcome will prompt reflection on fine margins across several ends and the pressure moments in the penultimate stages where the match turned decisively in Canada's favour.
Unclear in the provided context: the immediate plans of the players and any further schedules or statements beyond their emotional reaction and hopes to inspire participation.
