Canada deny Great Britain curling gold as Eve Muirhead's 2022 win is recalled
Canada clinched the men's curling gold after skipper Brad Jacobs produced a decisive final shot that left Bruce Mouat unable to remove two yellow stones with his last red, handing Great Britain an Olympic silver. Eve Muirhead is referenced from Britain’s recent curling history as Team GB absorb the loss and prepare for the final day of Milano Cortina 2026.
Brad Jacobs' decisive shot in the men's curling final
The curling final ended on a single pivotal play: Brad Jacobs' brilliant delivery set up a finish that required Bruce Mouat to take out two yellow stones with his final red, a task he could not complete. Canada celebrated their gold while Great Britain were left dejected on the podium. Bruce Mouat accepted his second Olympic silver; he managed a brief smile and a wave as he received the medal.
Bruce Mouat and Grant Hardie reaction after defeat
Moments after the loss, Grant Hardie and Bruce Mouat were interviewed by the and looked visibly upset. Mouat said, “I’m a bit in shock, ” and added that his team had felt they were the better side and were stunned by the outcome. He paused, then emphasised the support they had received from people back home and the value of inspiring new participants to the sport, calling that an achievement in itself. Hardie underlined the role of friendship in their campaign, noting the lingering pain from four years ago and their attempt to right that wrong.
Eve Muirhead and Team GB's medal record
Eve Muirhead's 2022 curling gold at the fourth time of asking was invoked as Britain processed the silver in Cortina. Team GB have enjoyed their most successful Winter Olympics, equalling a record haul of five medals this year — three of them gold. Zoe Atkin’s bronze on the final day pushed the total to five, matching the team’s best from 2014 and 2018. Earlier in the programme, Zoe Atkin had qualified top of the freestyle skiing halfpipe standings and was due to contest a re-arranged Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Final.
Matt Weston, Tabby Stoecker and the skeleton gains
Matt Weston opened Team GB’s account in the men’s skeleton by breaking four consecutive track records and finishing 0. 88 seconds clear of Germany’s Alex Jungk and Christopher Grotheer. Weston then teamed with Tabby Stoecker to win a team skeleton gold by 0. 17 seconds; that team title also made Weston the first British athlete to win two medals at the same Winter Olympics after he reduced a 0. 3 second deficit on his final run. Marcus Wyatt and Freya Tarbit finished fourth in the event; Tarbit said the mixed feelings of watching close friends win were bittersweet.
Laura Nolte, Deborah Levi and the two-woman bobsleigh
Germany continued its strong showing in sliding sports: Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi took gold in the two-woman bobsleigh. A second German pairing, Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten, finished 0. 53 seconds slower to take silver, while the USA crew of Kaillie Armbruster Humphries and Jasmine Jones claimed bronze.
Milano Cortina 2026 standings, schedule and wider context
Milano Cortina 2026 began on 4 February, with the opening ceremony on 6 February and the Games scheduled to close on 22 February, encompassing 116 medal events across 19 days. Events are split across four zones: Milano is hosting the ceremonies and ice sports such as ice hockey, speed skating and figure skating; Valtellina is staging freestyle skiing and snowboard events among others; Cortina is home to women’s Alpine skiing and ice sports including curling, skeleton and luge; Val di Fiemme is hosting ski jumping and cross-country skiing.
On the medal table, Norway has extended a commanding lead, having already exceeded the 16 golds they won in Beijing and holding four more golds than second-placed Germany. The USA sit in prime position to claim second overall, with host Italy and the Netherlands close behind. Team GB had set a target of four to eight medals and were assured of at least the lower end of that range after a double of golds on what was termed ‘Super Sunday’; three of Team GB’s medals are gold, with two won on the same day.
In other competition, Finland were moving towards the men’s ice hockey bronze, leading Slovakia 4-1 in the third period, while the men’s ice hockey gold medal match was scheduled for the following day at 1pm GMT between the USA and Canada.
“Sometimes the silvers you win feel more like the golds you lose, ” one commentator observed as Britain reflected on the curling defeat and the mixed emotions that come with a record-equalling overall performance at these Games.
