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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Alex Spink

British curling duo seal semi spot at Beijing Winter Olympics despite heavy Norway loss

Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds remain on course to emulate Rhona Martin and her golden girls of 20 years ago after booking a semi-final place in Beijing.

Britain’s curling duo guaranteed a top-four pool finish despite losing heavily to Norway in the Ice Cube.

They will not know who their opponents are until the final round of pool matches are played overnight.

But Scotland’s world champion pairing are guaranteed a shot at a medal just after midday courtesy of five wins from their eight games.

Dodds said: “We have still got a wee bit to go until we hit our best but we are pretty confident we will do that.

Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds have reached the mixed curling semi-finals (PA)

“I don’t know what I would have said 20 years ago if you told me [we’d be emulating Rhona], I probably would have doubted myself, not had the confidence to be like, yeah, I want to go for gold.

“But this sort of pressure is what you curl for. And seeing what Rhona’s achievements did for curling, I just really hope this can get other kids into the sport.”

Britain have won only four curling medals in almost a century of Olympic battle, the last a bronze eight years ago through Eve Muirhead’s team.

For large portions of Sunday the portents were not good, despite a 6-5 morning win over China.

First, news broke that Australia had been ruled out of the competition by Covid, sending concern through all, including the Brits, who had played with them.

Then, when that proved to be something of a false alarm, Stirling’s Mouat and Dodds from Edinburgh, were well beaten by the Norwegians.

Mouat and Dodds in action against Norway (PA)

“We are a bit disappointed with that but we’re still playing really well,” said Mouat.

Elsewhere, Makayla Gerken Schofield made history by becoming the first British skier to reach an Olympic moguls final.

The 22-year old finished eighth after reaching the penultimate round of the women’s final.

Rupert Staudinger, Britain’s sole luge entrant, took 24th place behind the powerhouse Germans.

“I’m a full-time student, I don’t earn any money from this,” he said. “It’s pure passion but to close the gap is probably too much to ask.”

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