Canada’s Rachel Homan employed a familiar strategy to secure her first win at the Winter Olympics on Thursday.
Executing precise shots when necessary, maintaining pressure on the opponent, and establishing an early advantage were key elements in the world’s top-ranked women’s curling team’s 10-4 triumph over Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
“We made a lot of key shots early on, which made us feel quite comfortable,” commented Homan.
Both teams took some time to adjust to the ice conditions in their initial round-robin match. After exchanging a few points early on, Canada capitalized on Danish mistakes to gain a significant lead without the hammer in the fifth end.
Denmark’s misses allowed Canada to take control of the game by forcing Dupont into challenging shots to minimize the damage. The resulting steal of four points shifted the momentum in Canada’s favor, leading to three more points in the seventh end to seal the win.
Homan, along with Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes, are expected to be strong contenders for a medal in the 10-team competition.
Sweden, Switzerland, and Italy are among the other top teams in the event, with Sweden and Switzerland starting off with wins, while Italy suffered a defeat. Meanwhile, the United States, South Korea, and Japan also saw action in the early matches.
Canada is set to face the United States in their next game on Friday afternoon, aiming to build on their strong start according to Canadian coach Viktor Kjell.
This encounter marked the first Olympic meeting between Homan and Dupont since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. While Homan faced disappointments in previous Olympics, her current squad is back after a period of dominance in the sport.
American curler Rich Ruohonen, at the age of 54, became the oldest Winter Olympian for the United States during his team’s match against Switzerland. Despite the defeat, Ruohonen’s appearance on the ice was a special moment for him, his family, and American fans present at the event.
Rich Ruohonen surpassed the previous record held by figure skater Joseph Savage and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete at the Winter Olympics.