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Team GB falls short in men's curling final at Winter Olympics
Great Britain's men's curling team, led by Bruce Mouat, suffered a 9-6 defeat to Canada in the final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, dashing hopes of ending a 102-year gold medal drought in the sport.
Emotional aftermath for Team GB
Mouat, visibly distraught, struggled to articulate his disappointment after the match. "I'm a bit in shock. I think we felt like we were the better team. I don't know what to say," he told BBC Sport, his voice breaking.
Teammate Grant Hardie echoed the sentiment, reflecting on the team's journey since their silver medal loss to Sweden in Beijing four years ago. "We wanted to win it for each other," he said. "The pain from four years ago was so much that we wanted to give it another go. We gave ourselves a chance but unfortunately we've not got there again."
A rollercoaster tournament
The Scottish quartet-Mouat, Hardie, Hammy McMillan, Bobby Lammie, and alternate Kyle Waddell-entered the Games as reigning world champions and favorites. However, their path to the final was far from smooth.
As recently as Thursday, they teetered on the brink of an early exit before rallying to secure a medal. Their semi-final victory over Switzerland was so dominant that Mouat described it as "our gold medal." Yet, their ultimate goal remained unfulfilled after a second loss to Canada in five days.
The final showdown
The gold medal match mirrored their earlier round-robin encounter, where Canada had triumphed 9-5. This time, Mouat's rink took an early 5-4 lead after a brilliant double-takeout, but Canada fought back to level the score at 5-5 by the seventh end.
Despite holding the hammer advantage in two of the final three ends, Team GB faltered. A single point in the eighth end allowed Canada to seize momentum, and a series of misplaced stones in the ninth end handed the Canadians an 8-6 lead. Mouat, renowned as the world's best shot-maker, needed a clutch performance in the final end but fell short, leaving his team with another silver medal.
Canada's redemption amid controversy
The Canadian team, skippered by 2014 Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs, had faced their own challenges in Cortina, including allegations of cheating. Their victory marked a redemption arc after a turbulent tournament.
For Team GB, the loss extends a century-long wait for men's curling gold. Despite their dominance in recent years-two World Championships, multiple European titles, and a record 12 Grand Slam victories since 2022-the Olympic final once again proved elusive.
Looking ahead
The Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina continue until February 22, with Team GB still competing in other events. Fans can follow live coverage on BBC iPlayer (UK only), BBC Radio 5 Live, and the BBC Sport website and app.
