Team Homan's Olympic Gold Dream Ends with Semifinal Loss to Sweden
Canada's top-ranked women's curling team, led by skip Rachel Homan, saw their Olympic gold medal aspirations come to an end on Friday with a 6-3 semifinal loss to Sweden's Anna Hasselborg at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The defeat at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium means Team Homan will now compete for bronze against the United States team skipped by Tabitha Peterson on Saturday.
A Disappointing Finish for Tournament Favorites
Entering the Olympics as the world's top-ranked rink and consensus tournament favorites, Team Homan faced significant challenges from the beginning of the competition. After losing three consecutive games early in the tournament, the Canadian squad mounted an impressive comeback with five straight victories, including a crucial 8-6 win over Sweden during Tuesday's round-robin play.
"They fought and fought and fought, their Olympics dreams up in the air almost from the beginning," said observers of the team's rollercoaster performance. "But beating the top team in the bonspiel twice proved too much."
Sweden's Dominant Performance
Sweden's Hasselborg, who won gold in 2018 and bronze in 2022, demonstrated why she's considered one of curling's elite competitors. Her team dominated the round robin with a 7-2 record, earning them the hammer advantage to start Friday's semifinal. By contrast, Team Homan faced near-elimination by day three of the tournament and barely qualified for the four-team playoffs as one of three teams with 6-3 records.
The game began cautiously, with both teams adjusting to the tricky ice conditions at the Cortina venue. Through the first four ends, Sweden and Canada traded single points, creating a tense 2-2 deadlock. Sweden strategically blanked the fifth end to retain the hammer advantage heading into the second half of the match.
Critical Moments That Decided the Match
At halftime, Sweden held a slight advantage in shot success rate at 79% compared to Canada's 74%. This statistical edge translated into game-changing moments in the sixth end when Homan missed her final shot, giving Sweden an opportunity to score multiple points. Although measurement officials determined a narrow Canadian advantage that limited Sweden to two points, this marked the first multiple score of the game and gave Sweden a 4-2 lead.
The seventh end proved disastrous for Canada when a daring promotion take-out attempt from Homan misfired, resulting in a stolen point for Sweden that extended their lead to 5-2. Canada managed only a single point in the eighth end after another promotion takeout failed to stick, and Hasselborg responded with a single point in the ninth to secure the 6-3 victory.
Looking Ahead to Bronze and Gold Medal Games
While the semifinal loss represents a disappointing conclusion to Team Homan's gold medal pursuit, the Canadian squad still has an opportunity to secure Olympic hardware that eluded Homan in 2018. The bronze medal match against the United States offers redemption and a chance to conclude their Olympic journey on a positive note.
Sweden will advance to face Switzerland in the gold-medal final after Silvana Tirinzoni's rink defeated the United States 7-4 in their semifinal matchup. The championship game promises to be a showcase of elite women's curling between two of the sport's most accomplished teams.
For Team Homan, Saturday's bronze medal game represents more than just another match—it's an opportunity to transform disappointment into achievement and add an Olympic medal to their impressive collection of curling accomplishments.
