Curling: Swiss stun Canada to take bronze medal

[February 23, 2018]  By Mitch Phillips

GANGNEUNG, South Korea (Reuters) - Canada's Olympic curling nightmare was completed on Friday when the men's team, gold medalists in the last three Games, lost 7-5 to Switzerland in the bronze medal match.

Canada's men were battling for bronze having missed out on the final for the first time since the event was reintroduced to the Games in 1998 and their defeat followed the failure of the Canadian women's team to win a medal for the first time since 1998.

It was a monumental double failure for a country that boasts more curlers than the rest of the world combined and their victory in the inaugural mixed doubles event to start the Games will be scant consolation.

Canada's men were beaten by the United States on Thursday to end their hopes of four successive titles and while they perhaps were carrying a hangover from that, Switzerland had shrugged off their loss to Sweden.

They started strongly and looked the more settled team in a very tight match which stood at 2-2 after four ends.

The Swiss edged 6-3 ahead after seven ends before a fine shot by Canada skip Kevin Koe knocked two stones out to count two for the holders and tighten the score to 6-5.

Switzerland did not buckle, however, and skip Benoit Schwarz, whose remarkable five-pointer against Britain in the playoff sent his team into the semis, was again the man to keep his cool when it mattered, snatching another point in the ninth.

 

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Bronze Medal Match - Switzerland v Canada - Gangneung Curling Center - Gangneung, South Korea - February 23, 2018 - Skip Kevin Koe of Canada delivers the stone. REUTERS/John Sibley

He was slightly off target with his last in the ninth, however, opening the way for Koe to take the game to an extra end but although he dislodged two, the third stayed safe.

The Swiss rink leapt in the air to celebrate, before quickly remembering their manners to shake hands with their clearly deflated opponents - after which they regathered for a mass hug.

Switzerland won the Olympic title in 1998 and this matched their third place from 2010 and in last year's world championship, when Canada retained their title.

Sweden will play the United States in the final on Saturday with both seeking to win gold for the first time.

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ed Osmond)

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