Great Britain, Sweden Vie for First Men’s Olympic Curling Gold Medals in Beijing

Niklas Edin and Bruce Mouat have both accomplished more than most curlers could dream of winning in a lifetime of tournaments and bonspiels. But both are still seeking their first Olympic gold medals, and the two skips will lead Sweden and Great Britain respectively in the gold medal game of men’s curling in Beijing on Saturday.

Edin won bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018, and will look to complete his medal collection by finally bringing home gold to Sweden.

Edin, Mouat boast impressive resumes

The 36-year-old skip has won five world championships, seven European titles, and three Grand Slam events. But he has never captured curling’s biggest prize.

Sweden booked its place in the gold medal match by beating Canada 5-3 in their semifinal.

“It’s going to be a super, super interesting final,” Edin told reporters after the semifinal win. “I think it might be nerve wracking to play, but I think it’s going to be a super well played game.”

Sweden will face off against a Great Britain squad that hails from Scotland. Mouat can’t boast the same resume as Edin – few can – but he has positioned his team as one of the best in the world over the past two years. He has captured two European Championships and medaled twice at worlds. Most impressively, he has won four Grand Slam titles, including three in 2021.

Great Britain defeated defending champion John Shuster and the United States 8-4 to guarantee the nation its first medal of the Winter Olympics and keep its gold medal dreams alive.

“The last two weeks, especially for myself, has been a bit of a roller coaster, so this is very special,” Mouat told BBC Sport. “I’m so excited to be able to share the moment with the guys and the celebration at the end was pure elation. I don’t think I can sum it up any other way.”

Great Britain favorite in men’s curling showdown

Great Britain enters the final as a -143 pick to win the gold medal in men’s curling, according to PlaySugarHouse.com. Sweden is pulling +115 odds as the slight underdog.

Those odds reflect how well Mouat and his team have played throughout the Olympic tournament. Great Britain put up an 8-1 record in round robin play. They also beat Sweden 7-6 in their head-to-head encounter.

“It’ll be some party back home if we do [win gold],” Great Britain lead Hammy McMillan told reporters. “It would mean the absolute world to everyone if we do.”

The semifinal results sent the United States and Canada to the men’s curling bronze medal game. Both countries were seeking their only curling medals of the 2022 Olympics – an especially surprising result for Canada, long the leading international powerhouse in the sport. Canada prevailed in the bronze medal matchup by an 8-5 final.