Team Homan's Olympic Comeback: Two Crucial Wins Keep Canadian Curling Hopes Alive
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — The Canadian women's curling team, led by skip Rachel Homan, has staged a dramatic comeback at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games with two essential victories on Monday. These wins have kept their medal hopes alive despite a surprisingly difficult start to the tournament.
Unexpected Struggles for Top-Ranked Team
Team Homan entered the Olympics as heavy favorites, having dominated the 2024-25 season with an impressive 75-8 record that secured them the world number one ranking. The 36-year-old skip had recently captured both the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the world championship, making their Olympic campaign highly anticipated.
However, the Cortina games began with unexpected challenges for the Canadian rink. After an opening victory against Denmark, they suffered consecutive losses to Great Britain and the United States—marking the first time American women have defeated Canada in Olympic curling history.
The situation worsened with an 8-7 loss to Switzerland, made particularly difficult when officials removed a Homan stone for alleged double touching. Second Emma Miskew commented on the incident, stating, "It was just a tough way to start a game, coming off two losses in a row. We started strong, and then to get that rock pulled, oh man. But we battled that game."
Monday's Critical Double Victory
Facing elimination pressure, Team Homan responded with two crucial wins on Monday that have completely changed their tournament trajectory. In their morning draw, they defeated China's Team Wang Rui with a commanding 10-5 victory, controlling the game throughout with a four-point fourth end followed by a three-point sixth end that put the match out of reach.
The evening draw brought another significant triumph as Canada defeated Japan's ninth-ranked Team Sayaka Yoshimura 9-6. Japan made costly mistakes in both the third and sixth ends, overshooting draws that resulted in steals of three points for Canada each time.
These victories have improved Team Homan's record to 3-3, tying them for fifth place in the ten-team tournament. The timing was critical—a loss in either game would have placed the Canadians in dire straits, forcing them to win all remaining matches while hoping for losses from higher-ranked teams.
Redemption Narrative and Playoff Push
This Olympic appearance carries special significance for Homan's rink, representing a potential redemption story after their disappointing sixth-place finish at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. That tournament began with three consecutive round-robin losses, making their current comeback effort particularly meaningful.
The team now faces a critical matchup against first-place Sweden on Tuesday, with the top four teams advancing to the playoff round. Despite their unexpected 3-3 record through six games—a position nobody anticipated for the world's top-ranked rink—Team Homan has demonstrated resilience and competitive spirit when it mattered most.
As the tournament progresses, the Canadian curling team has proven they can overcome adversity and remain contenders in what has become one of the most dramatic Olympic curling competitions in recent memory. Their ability to respond under pressure has kept their medal dreams alive and added another compelling chapter to Canada's rich curling history at the Winter Games.
