Team GB Curlers Acknowledge Need to Elevate Performance
Despite securing a perfect start with three consecutive victories in the mixed curling event at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Team GB's Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat have openly admitted they must step up their game to maintain momentum. The childhood friends from Edinburgh currently share the top spot in the early standings with powerhouse Canada, but both athletes recognize that Mouat in particular needs to find another gear.
Perfect Record Masks Underlying Concerns
The British pair began their campaign with a hard-fought 8-6 victory over Estonia's Mari Kaldvee and Harri Lill, former world silver medallists, before narrowly edging past the Czech Republic's Vit Chabicovsky and Julie Zelingrova 8-7. In the Czech match, Team GB took an early advantage but conceded a triple in the fifth end, requiring Dodds to maintain exceptional composure to secure the win. Zelingrova missed a crucial final-stone opportunity as the shot clock pressured her into an error.
Mouat, who is favored for gold in the men's event after leading Scotland to world championship glory last year, confessed he is still adjusting to the ice conditions. "I wasn't playing my best and I can't blame the ice – I can only blame myself," he stated. "There were some tricky spots in there; I think it's manageable. It's just that I've not figured it out yet, so I'm going to have to figure it out faster."
Dodds Carries the Load as Partnership Faces Tests
Jen Dodds has been instrumental in their early success, demonstrating remarkable steadiness under pressure. Reflecting on their narrow victory over the Czech Republic, Dodds remarked, "You have to win ugly sometimes and that was probably that game. In mixed doubles, you're never safe, even when you're up three in the last end, and it was getting a bit nervy at some points."
She emphasized the collaborative nature of their partnership, saying, "I'm here to support Bruce as much as possible. There are times that I don't play well and Bruce is absolutely amazing, but this was vice versa. You're a team and you're in it together; we'll figure out whatever Bruce needs to help step it up a little."
Olympic History and Future Challenges
Four years ago, British curlers salvaged Team GB's Olympic campaign in Beijing, securing the only two medals – a men's silver and women's gold – both achieved on the final weekend. Dodds and Mouat are determined to avoid repeating their disappointment from the 2022 mixed event, where they squandered a semi-final lead before suffering a comprehensive defeat in the bronze-medal match.
Their upcoming fixtures include matches against winless Korea and Sweden in the ten-team round-robin stage. Two victories would almost guarantee progression to the knockout rounds. However, the ultimate test awaits on Saturday morning when they face Canada, who delivered a statement win by defeating world champions and favorites Italy.
Mouat summarized their position: "It's exactly how we wanted to start the event. We just wanted to put a better foot forward, but three wins is exactly what we need at this point. We've got some tough games ahead and we're going to have to perform a little better. Jen's playing amazingly; it's just that I need to help her a little."
The British duo's journey continues as they seek to transform their perfect start into Olympic glory, acknowledging that improvement is essential to overcome the formidable challenges that lie ahead in the competition.
