Canada eliminated from Olympic mixed doubles playoff contention

CORTINA d’AMPEZZO, Italy — Canada’s quest for a medal in 2026 Winter Olympics mixed doubles curling competition will fall short, after a pair of losses on Sunday at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

Canada’s Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant of Chestermere, Alta., along with team coach Laine Peters and national coach Scott Pfeifer, were officially eliminated from playoff contention Sunday night when they bowed 9-5 to South Korea’s Seon-yeong Kim and Yeong-Seok Jeong (3-5).

It came on the heels of a crushing 7-6 loss to Sweden’s Isabella Wranå and Rasmus Wranå earlier in the day. After winning their first three games of the Olympic mixed doubles round robin, Peterman and Gallant have lost five straight.

They will complete their round-robin schedule on Monday against Switzerland’s Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann and Yannick Schwaller (4-4) at 4:05 a.m. (all times Eastern).

“For sure, it’s not the result we came here for,” said Gallant. “We’re disappointed but it was special to be here together with our families and wearing the Maple Leaf on our backs. We wanted to get on the podium. It was our goal and it hurts. It’s an accomplishment to make it here but that wasn’t our goal. We wanted more and more, so it is frustrating.”

Canada held a 3-1 lead through three ends after a steal of two in the third end. But the South Koreans rallied back quickly, taking the lead with three in the fourth end and then stealing two in the fifth, and Canada couldn’t recover.

“It felt like we had a good handle on the ice (tonight),” said Peterman. “We had not the greatest end in the fourth and the steal of two in five, I guess, was key.”

Against Sweden, it was another slow start that ultimately sunk Canada, as Sweden stole two on two perfect draws from Isabelle Wranå — a freeze to open the end, and a cold draw to bite the button with her last.

Peterman and Gallant fought back with two in the second, and Peterman made cold-blooded draws in the fourth for a single and in the sixth for a go-ahead deuce to make it 5-4 for Canada.

But the Swedes struck back with three in the seventh, and Peterman’s double-raise attempt for the win in the eighth end barely missed.

For live scoring, team lineups, and standings for the three Olympic curling competitions, CLICK HERE.

The Canadian women’s (Team Rachel Homan of Ottawa) and men’s (Team Brad Jacobs of Calgary) will arrive in Cortina on Monday. The opening game for Team Jacobs is Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. against Germany’s Team Marc Muskatewitz, while Team Homan hits the ice Thursday at 3:05 a.m. against Denmark’s Team Madeleine Dupont.

All of Canada’s games will be broadcast on a variety of platforms by CBC, the official Olympic rights-holder in Canada. CLICK HERE for the CBC broadcast schedule.