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Mouat and Dodds miss out on curling bronze as GB’s wait continues

Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat experienced disappointment in the mixed doubles curling event at the Winter Olympics for the second time in a four-year span, as they were denied a bronze medal by the host nation, Italy.

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Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat reflect on their second consecutive Olympic disappointment in mixed doubles curling.

The British pair, comprising Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat, experienced their second Winter Olympic heartbreak in four years, falling short of a bronze medal in mixed doubles curling against host nation Italy.

After dominating the round-robin stage with only one loss, the duo's impressive form dissipated in the playoffs, leading to an unexpected early exit.

Following a surprising semi-final loss to Sweden, the pair suffered a 5-3 defeat to Italy in the Cortina Curling Stadium, leaving Team GB without a medal at the Games.

As Italian fans celebrated their team's victory, the Scottish duo was left to cope with the disappointment of another Olympic setback, with the arena's unique atmosphere unable to inspire a turnaround.

In a post-match interview with BBC Sport, Dodds expressed her frustration, stating, "It's a similar feeling to four years ago, but I'm trying to hold back my emotions."

This Olympic appearance was expected to yield a different outcome, with the pair seeking to learn from their previous playoff losses in Beijing and claim a medal.

Instead, they will now focus on the upcoming men's and women's events, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, as they strive to put their disappointment behind them.

Mouat also shared his emotional response, saying, "It's tough to accept that we performed better than four years ago, yet the result is the same – it's going to sting for a while."

A day-by-day guide to the Winter Olympics is available for those looking to stay up-to-date on the events.

The full schedule, including medal events and their respective times, can be found online.

The current Winter Olympics 2026 medal table is also available for reference.

Throughout the game, Mouat and Dodds found themselves facing narrow margins, often just inches away from the desired outcome.

With the hammer in the first end, the British pair had an opportunity to take an early lead but were denied when Dodds' shot fell slightly short, allowing the Italians to steal a point.

The hosts, led by Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, dictated the pace of the game, capitalizing on near-misses from the British duo to build their advantage.

After leveling the score, the British pair faced another setback when the Italians edged ahead once more, with Dodds' shot again falling just short of the mark.

At the interval, Italy held a 3-1 lead, putting pressure on the British duo to mount a comeback.

Although they managed to score one point in the fifth end, a critical mistake by Mosaner in the sixth end presented an opportunity for the British pair to shift the momentum.

However, Constantini's composed play ensured the Italians maintained their lead, ultimately securing a two-point advantage with two ends remaining.

With time running out, the British duo deployed their powerplay, seeking a big score, but could only manage one point, leaving them in need of a steal to force an extra end.

Unable to achieve this, they were left to confront the harsh reality of a fourth-place finish and another Olympic Games without a mixed doubles medal.

Mouat reflected on the experience, saying, "We feel fortunate to be competing at the Olympics together, having grown up as friends and never knowing how far we could go in curling – it's been an incredible journey with Jen."

Despite his disappointment, Mouat expressed pride in their perseverance, stating, "I'm obviously gutted, but I'm proud of us for sticking with it."

Following their previous Olympic disappointment in Beijing, the duo responded by winning medals in the women's and men's events – the question now is how they will bounce back this time.

After dominating the round-robin stage with only one loss, the British duo's surprising semi-final defeat to Sweden and subsequent loss to Italy in the bronze medal match were a significant setback.

Logan Gray, a two-time world junior bronze medallist and BBC Sport pundit, suspects that the emotional toll of the semi-final loss may have affected the pair's performance in the bronze medal match, which took place less than 24 hours later.

Gray noted, "It's always challenging to recover and perform in the bronze game – I think there was a bit of a hangover in the first few ends, which impacted their play."

According to Gray, the increased pressure of the playoff stage can create cracks in a team's communication, leadership, and decision-making, leading to a downward spiral.

He believes that this perfect storm of factors contributed to the British duo's struggles over the past two days.

The pair now face the challenge of recovering from their disappointment and preparing for their respective team events.

Mouat will return to the ice with his men's team, who are favored to win gold, as they face China on Wednesday, while Dodds will have an extra day to regroup before her women's team competes against China on Thursday.

Jackie Lockhart, a four-time Olympian and former world champion, hopes that the pair's previous experience with Olympic disappointment will help them bounce back this time.

Lockhart stated, "It's unfortunate, but having been in this situation before and come back to win medals might actually work in their favor – they're professional athletes who know how to move forward."

According to Lockhart, the duo will need to put their emotions aside and focus on the upcoming events, as they have done before, and trust in their ability to perform under pressure.

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GB men’s curling team suffers upset defeat to Italy

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Great Britain’s men’s curling team mounted a comeback against Italy following a disappointing beginning, ultimately falling short in their inaugural match.

Despite a valiant comeback, Team GB ultimately fell short as Italy held their composure to secure the win in the final end.

A dismal start to the match proved costly for Team GB's men, as they suffered their first defeat of the Winter Olympics at the hands of host nation Italy, despite a spirited fightback in the packed Cortina Curling Stadium.

Following victories in their first two matches, including a win over the Swedish rink that beat them in the gold-medal match four years ago, Team GB entered their second high-profile encounter in as many days in a confident position.

However, a disastrous opening end, in which Italy stole four points, left Team GB trailing and facing an uphill battle in front of a boisterous home crowd.

The British team, currently ranked number one in the world, gradually regained their footing and managed to level the score by the ninth end.

Ultimately, Italy maintained their composure in the final end to emerge victorious, winning 9-7 and adding Team GB to their list of scalps, which already included the Swedes.

"We had to dig deep and play some solid curling, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get us over the line," Team GB lead Hammy McMillan said in an interview with BBC Sport.

With seven wins from nine round-robin matches guaranteeing a spot in the semi-finals, Team GB remains in a strong position, although fewer wins may still be sufficient to advance.

The women's team is set to take to the ice next, facing South Korea in their second match at 13:05 GMT, while the men will return to action on Saturday against the Czech Republic at the same time.

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The looks of shock on the faces of Team GB's curlers told the story of a disastrous opening end.

With a stone in play, Mouat attempted a risky shot in an effort to claim two points, but it backfired, resulting in none of Team GB's stones in the house and four Italian stones in position.

However, the Scottish quartet, ranked number one in the world, quickly regained their composure and got back to their game.

The teams exchanged singles before a impressive final throw by Mouat, aided by a measurement to determine which stone was closest to the button, allowed Team GB to claim two points and narrow the gap to 5-3.

Another excellent team effort, which included a well-judged throw by Mouat, a solid sweep by Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie, and Grant Hardie's strategic expertise, forced Italy to concede a point in the fourth end, reducing the deficit to a single point at the break.

Italy blanked the sixth end and added two points in the seventh to rebuild their lead, but Team GB fought back with two points of their own, remarkably levelling the score with one end remaining after a steal.

The match came down to the final end, but Italy held their nerve to secure the win, prompting a deafening roar from the crowd.

"It's an incredible experience, and we need to get used to it," McMillan added, describing the electric atmosphere as "surreal" and "cool," more akin to a football match than a typical curling crowd.

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Scotland Kicks Off Nations League Against Slovenia

Uefa has released the schedule for the Nations League, with Scotland set to begin their campaign on 26 September with an away match against Slovenia.

Uefa has released the schedule for the Nations League, with Scotland's campaign set to begin on 26 September with an away match against Slovenia.

The team's six group stage games will be played within a three-month period, culminating in a match against Switzerland on 16 November.

The fixture list was announced following Thursday's draw, which placed Scotland in a group with Switzerland, Slovenia, and North Macedonia.

Having been relegated from League A after a play-off loss to Greece last year, Scotland will compete in the second tier of the Nations League this year.

In response to the draw, head coach Steve Clarke noted that the teams in the group appear to be evenly matched.

Clarke reflected on the team's past experience in the competition, stating that it has been beneficial for Scotland.

He emphasized the importance of the Nations League, citing its role in helping the team qualify for Euro 2020, and anticipated a challenging set of matches.

A key matchup in the Nations League will see Scotland face off against Switzerland.

The group stage will determine the teams' fates, with the winner earning promotion, the runner-up entering a play-off, the third-placed team facing a relegation play-off, and the fourth-placed team being relegated directly.

The upcoming group games will mark a reunion for Scotland and Switzerland, who previously drew 1-1 in Cologne at Euro 2024.

Scotland's last encounter with Slovenia was during the 2018 World Cup qualification campaign, when they won 1-0 at home and drew 2-2 away.

The team has not played North Macedonia since the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, when they drew 1-1 at home and won 2-1 away, with goals from Ikechi Anya and Shaun Maloney.

The schedule for Scotland's Nations League campaign begins on 26 September with a match against Slovenia.

The team will then host Switzerland on 29 September, followed by a trip to face North Macedonia on 3 October.

Scotland will then play Slovenia at home on 6 October, before hosting North Macedonia on 11 November.

The final group stage match will see Scotland travel to face Switzerland on 16 November.

The team's home match against North Macedonia is set for 11 November.

The campaign will conclude with an away match against Switzerland on 16 November.

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