Led by world champion skip Bruce Mouat, the British rink delivered the commanding performance they were expected to produce, defeating the United States and finishing the round-robin stage with a 5-4 record from nine games. Their victory served as a stark reminder to themselves, their critics, and rival teams that they remain a world-class force on ice.
Mouat, alongside teammates Grant Hardie, Hammy McMillan Jr, and Bobby Lammie, dominated the match from the first end, stealing points and building an early lead that the Americans could not overcome. By the sixth end, Great Britain had sealed the game, leaving the crowd and competitors impressed by their precision and composure.
However, the win also highlighted a source of frustration: Team GB’s earlier inconsistency in the tournament. With Switzerland and Canada already guaranteed semi-final spots, Britain must now rely on the outcomes of other games to secure a place in the final four. Norway, Italy, and the USA remain in contention for the remaining semi-final positions.
“It is a horrible position to be in,” Mouat admitted. “Having to watch other games and hope they go our way is not what we wanted, but so far, so good. We need tomorrow to be the same. Fingers crossed.”
The British team now faces a tense 24 hours, with Italy taking on unbeaten Switzerland and Norway facing near-invincible Canada. Depending on those results, Britain could either advance or be eliminated.
Reflecting on their mindset, Hammy McMillan said: “We treat it as two events: qualifying for the semis and then the knockouts. Everything that’s happened so far is forgotten, we have literally two games to play.”
Team GB chef de mission Eve Muirhead reminded her squad that curling is often about how you finish, not how you start. History is on their side: a similar 5-4 round-robin in Beijing led to a gold medal, and Mouat himself has recovered from setbacks in mixed doubles to reach top-table finishes.
“We’ve been very open and honest about our goal this week,” said McMillan. “It’s to be standing at the top of the podium. It’s the only medal in the last eight years we don’t have. So yes, it will be extremely disappointing if that doesn’t happen, but fingers crossed for tomorrow.”
For fans in the UK, TNT Sports on discovery+ remains the destination to watch live coverage of Milano Cortina 2026, featuring over 850 hours of action across all sports and medal events.
