News
GB curlers strengthen Olympic hopes with decisive victory over Sweden
Great Britain’s men’s curling team strengthened their position as top contenders for the Winter Olympic gold medal, defeating Sweden 6-3.
With two wins under their belt, Team GB is on track to reach the semi-finals, which likely require seven victories from nine round-robin matches.
In Cortina, Team GB's men's curling team strengthened their position as favourites for the Winter Olympic gold medal with a decisive 6-3 victory over Sweden, the team that took silver four years ago.
Following a dominant performance against China in their opening match, Bruce Mouat and his team faced a tougher challenge in their second game, but they successfully controlled the pace from the outset.
Mouat's impressive record against Niklas Edin continued, having won eight of their last 10 meetings, and the Swedish skipper was unable to reverse this trend in the Italian Dolomites.
This win marked a significant recovery for Mouat from his earlier disappointment in the mixed doubles and left the Swedish team in a precarious position, especially with an upcoming match against Canada.
To guarantee a spot in the semi-finals, seven wins from nine round-robin matches are likely necessary, although fewer victories may also suffice, and Team GB has made a strong start in their pursuit of this target.
Mouat expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, telling BBC Sport, "All four of us were in top form, and it's excellent that we've been able to regain our rhythm despite not training together for a month."
The men's team will return to the ice on Friday for a highly anticipated match against Italy at 08:05 GMT, which will be broadcast live on the BBC.
Prior to that, the GB women's team will commence their campaign with a match against China, the world bronze medallists, at 18:05.
Team GB is at the forefront of curling's technological advancements.
The importance of embracing individuality was highlighted, with the message "don't be afraid of being different, it's your superpower."
A day-by-day guide to the Winter Olympics is available for those looking to stay up-to-date with the events.
Niklas Edin, considered one of the all-time greats in curling, has a reputation for rising to the occasion in the Olympic arena, but since the 2022 Games in Beijing, Mouat and his team have had the upper hand.
The match between Team GB and Sweden was a high-quality contest, with both teams considered among the best in the competition, alongside Canada, Italy, and Switzerland.
Mouat, Hammy McMillan, Bobby Lammie, and Grant Hardie secured the hammer, allowing them to dictate the pace of the game, and they maintained control throughout.
Edin's attempt at a high-risk double takeout in the first end was unsuccessful, enabling Mouat to claim two points and establish a lead that Team GB would maintain throughout the match.
The Swedish skip struggled with his shots, repeatedly failing to pose challenges to Mouat, resulting in the British team leading 4-1 at the midpoint and extending their advantage to 6-2 with three ends remaining.
In a last-ditch effort, Sweden needed a significant score but managed only a single point in the eighth end, prompting Edin to concede the match with two ends still to play.
Grant Hardie attributed the team's success to their motivation, telling BBC Sport, "We were reminded of Sweden's win over us in Beijing, which drove us to perform well, and we capitalized on their off-day."
Hardie added, "Our relentless approach, with all four of us performing at a high level, forced Sweden to play shots they didn't want to, which ultimately worked in our favour."
Entertainment And Arts
Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign
The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.
A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.

Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.
Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.
A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.
The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.
It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.
Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.
At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.
In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.
Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.

He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.
The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.
The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.
News
Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance
Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.
In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.
The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.
Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.
Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.
The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.
A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.
After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.
With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.
The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.
Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.
Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.
In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.
A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.
Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.
However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.
A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.
Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.
There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.
For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.
A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.
News
FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008
As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.
This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.
Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.
However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.
Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?
For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.
We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.
Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?
Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?
Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.
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