Curling heartbreak as Team GB denied men's Olympic gold by Canada on last stone
Bruce Mouat's rink won a silver medal after losing 9-6 to Canada in the men's curling final in Cortina, a loss that leaves Britain still searching for a men's Olympic gold more than a century on and revives the pain of 2022.
Late swing in ninth end decided the final
The decisive swing came in the ninth end, when Canada — with the hammer — took three points to move 8-6 ahead and then held on in the 10th to seal a 9-6 victory. Britain had the hammer in the 10th; Mouat's second-to-last throw spun in an excellent stone, knocking away two of Canada’s stones, but a strong Canadian response reclaimed the ascendancy and the gold.
How the ends unfolded in Cortina
Canada began with the hammer after finishing the round-robin ahead of Great Britain, but GB limited them to one in the opening end and then took two in the second to lead. Canada overhauled GB in the third to go 3-2 up, and Britain levelled after four ends. At the halfway mark Canada had had the hammer three times but led only 4-3 after a missed opportunity from Brad Jacobs to blank the fifth.
Mouat then produced a superb double takeout in the sixth to pick up an unlikely two and put GB 5-4 ahead. Canada levelled 5-5 after the seventh. The eighth end proved crucial: GB missed shots and scored only one, leaving them 6-5 with Canada holding the hammer into the ninth. Canada, with a four on offer, took three in the ninth to lead 8-6 going into the final end.
Curling final decided on last stone
Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie — with alternate Kyle Waddell available — arrived in Cortina as world champions and favourites, hoping to improve on their 2022 silver. They leave as silver medallists for a second successive Olympics after the 9-6 defeat, and the loss continues a wait of more than 100 years for a men's Olympic curling gold.
Emotions, history and the run-up to the match
Players and fans felt the stakes keenly. Two of the British players were left in tears after the final, and Grant Hardie said, “I’m heartbroken, ” describing how the pain of losing the 2022 final had driven the team back four years later. Hammy McMillan said it had taken him four years to get over the first silver and suggested this will take longer. Mouat described his feelings as shock, saying they had felt like the better team.
The last 10 days in Italy had not been straightforward for the British quartet: they were on the brink of a shock early exit as recently as Thursday but recovered to guarantee a medal. Earlier in the week GB and Canada met in the round-robin, with Canada winning that game and, across the tournament, Canada beat GB twice in five days.
Records, rivalries and what the teams have achieved
The Scottish quartet arrived in Cortina with a rich recent record: they have won two World Championships and European titles are described variously in coverage as a couple of crowns or two European championships. Accounts also differ on their Grand Slam haul, with one description calling it a record 12 Grand Slam titles since the last Games and another noting four grand slam events. Mouat and Brad Jacobs have a long rivalry — they have faced each other 14 times, and this final was only the second time Jacobs has beaten Mouat.
Mouat has now played in four Olympic medal matches across mixed doubles and men’s events at two Games and has been on the losing side in each. The Canadian side, led by 2014 gold medallist Brad Jacobs, prevailed in Cortina amid what was described as a tumultuous Games for Canada that included cheating claims elsewhere involving their team.
After the final, Mouat said he will continue to the next Olympics in France, adding “100%, ” though he said the four team members have not yet had a conversation about whether they will stay together. That next Olympic target is now the confirmed forward milestone for Mouat personally as Team GB reflect on the narrow, emotional finish in Cortina.
