At the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February, the Canadian curling teams are well-prepared and experienced, minimizing any Olympic stage jitters commonly felt by athletes competing under the global sporting spotlight for the first time.
The men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles Canadian teams all boast significant experience, with several members having won Olympic medals in the past. Brad Jacobs’ men’s team, for example, includes three members who have previously clinched Olympic gold, while the fourth member has secured bronze.
Rachel Homan will be making her third consecutive Olympic appearance as the women’s skip, with Emma Miskew returning for a second time. Brett Gallant will be competing in both the men’s team with Jacobs and in mixed doubles with partner Jocelyn Peterman.
The Canadian representatives, selected through a rigorous trials and pre-trials process involving 30 men’s and women’s teams, are expected to be strong contenders at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
David Murdoch, Curling Canada’s high-performance director, highlighted the strength and experience of the Canadian teams, emphasizing their professionalism and dedication to the sport. The teams, including Jacobs’ squad, which is currently ranked third globally, are aiming for success at the upcoming Winter Games.
The Olympic schedule will commence with mixed doubles play on Feb. 4, followed by the men’s team competition starting on Feb. 11 and the women’s team schedule beginning a day later. Other strong contenders for Olympic curling medals in Cortina include teams from Sweden, Switzerland, Britain, Japan, South Korea, and host country Italy.