The 2026 Winter Olympics have dealt a shocking blow to Team GB's curling aspirations, with a disappointing start against Italy's passionate home crowd.
After two impressive wins, including a sweet revenge against Sweden, GB's men faced a tough challenge in the Cortina Curling Stadium. But a disastrous first end, where Italy stole four points, left them playing catch-up in front of a raucous, horn-blowing, bell-ringing, whistle-blowing Italian crowd.
However, as the world's top-ranked rink, GB's players showed their mettle. They slowly closed the gap, leveling the match in the ninth end. But the local heroes, backed by their passionate fans, held their nerve in the final end to win 9-7, adding GB to their scalp collection, which already included Sweden.
Lead Hammy McMillan reflected, "We had to dig deep. We played nine good ends and controlled it, but we just couldn't get over the line."
With seven wins from nine round-robin matches guaranteeing a semi-final spot, GB's men are still in a strong position. Meanwhile, GB's women take to the ice next, facing South Korea at 13:05 GMT. The men will return on Saturday to face the Czech Republic at the same time.
The opening end was a heart-stopping moment for GB's curlers. Lying one as Mouat delivered his final stone, they took a bold risk to claim two, but an unfortunate kiss left their stones out of position, while Italy's were perfectly placed.
This might have broken some teams, but this Scottish quartet is the world's best. They quickly recovered, trading singles and then claiming two with a brilliant Mouat throw, aided by the big compass to measure proximity to the button.
Another superb team effort, with Mouat's throw, Hardie's judgment, and the powerful sweeping of McMillan and Lammie, forced a steal in the fourth end, bringing the game back to a one-point difference.
Italy blanked the sixth end and claimed two in the seventh, but GB roared back with another two and remarkably leveled with a steal in the final end.
It all came down to the last stones, and the Italians kept their cool, edging out GB and triggering a thunderous celebration among their fans.
"It's surreal, cool, and not your typical curling atmosphere," McMillan added. "It's more like a football crowd. But we'll have to get used to it and enjoy the amazing atmosphere."
So, what do you think? Is this the kind of intense, passionate atmosphere that brings out the best in athletes, or does it add unnecessary pressure? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
