Canada secures gold medal in thrilling curling match against Great Britain at the Olympics

February 21, 2026

Canada’s Curling Team Wins Gold Amid Controversy

Canada’s men’s curling team had a rocky beginning, but it all paid off with a gold medal at the 2026 Olympics.

Men’s curling’s top prize is back in the hands of the nation that has ruled the sport for decades. At the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, Canada triumphed over Great Britain with a score of 9-6, claiming the gold medal for the first time since 2014. The match was a nail-biter, showcasing some of the finest teams in curling.

Canadian skip Brad Jacobs and Scotland’s Bruce Mouat were impressive throughout their Saturday showdown. Both squads fiercely contested every point, with the lead only shifting by a single point until the ninth end. However, a few key mistakes by Scotland provided Canada with an opportunity for a three-point end, resulting in an 8-6 lead. In the 10th end, with Great Britain holding the hammer, Jacobs directed his team to play aggressively, leaving Mouat with little room to score. Ultimately, Mouat’s final attempt to make a double takeout fell short, resulting in one last point for Canada and sealing the match.

This win was particularly sweet for Jacobs and his team, who included three members from their gold-medal winning 2014 Sochi squad. Interestingly, just before the finals, deputy Mark Kennedy found himself in a heated dispute with the Swedish team during the round-robin phase, becoming a focal point of criticism from fans and opponents alike. The Swedes accused him of breaking the rules, with photos appearing to back up their claims. This incident sparked a flurry of debate within the curling community about officiating and enforcement of rules.

Ultimately, Canada’s impressive performance in the tournament handed them the gold medal, shortly after the women’s team secured a bronze by defeating the United States.

Speaking of standings, Switzerland took home the bronze in men’s curling after an undefeated streak in round-robin play, finishing with 9 wins and 0 losses. Yet, they faced an 8-5 defeat against Great Britain in the semifinals, marking their first loss and pushing them into the bronze battle. Meanwhile, Mouat, who also faced challenges in the mixed doubles tournament, had a tense semifinal experience but managed to clinch a win with clever plays.

Switzerland dominated Norway in the bronze match, rolling to a 9-1 victory right from the start. On another note, Canada edged past Norway in a closely contested semifinal, with the game tied at 4-4 at one point until a crucial moment allowed Jacobs’ team to take the win with a final score of 5-4.

The gold medal team for Canada consisted of Brad Jacobs (skip), Mark Kennedy (alternate), Brett Gallant (second), Ben Hebert (lead), and Tyler Tardi (alternate). On the Scottish side, Bruce Mouat led his team of Grant Hardy, Bobby Ramey, Hammy McMillan Jr., and Kyle Waddell. Switzerland featured Benoit Schwartz-van Berkel as the skip alongside Yannick Schwaller and Sven Michel, among others.

Medal Round Overview

The Swiss team had a notably smooth journey through the round-robin segment, with most of their matches not being tightly contested. They often concluded games with a margin of four points or more, aside from a few exceptions.

A significant point of contention throughout the games was centered around Team Canada and their sidelined player, Mark Kennedy. An early altercation with Sweden’s vice-president sparked widespread discussion, raising questions about rule monitoring in curling tournaments—whether officials should have a more active role in enforcing regulations versus relying solely on players.

Nevertheless, Canada maintained their momentum, finishing the round-robin as the No. 2 seed for the semifinals. As the competition progressed, Norway managed to secure their spot on the final day, coming back from a mixed opening to the tournament.

Interestingly, if Norway hadn’t beat Canada in that last match, they would have been tied in the standings, possibly affecting the semifinal placements.

Meanwhile, Bruce Moore’s team from Great Britain initially had a solid trajectory but faced setbacks that nearly cost them a playoff position. However, they rallied back to clinch the final semifinals spot against Switzerland.