Winter Olympics 2022 - Risk and no reward - USA gamble hands Canada men's curling bronze

Canada claimed men's curling bronze at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, denying defending champions USA a place on the podium with an 8-5 victory. Brad Gushue's rink put the pressure on in the closing ends and just like they did in their defeat to Great Britain, the US made risky decisions which cost them the match.

Ad/> Canada began the match with the hammer — the last stone advantage — and a guard set by Brett Gallant with the sixth stone caused the Americans problems throughout the end. It was used to nudge clear a US rock, and skip Brad Gushue’s draw with his penultimate stone would be enough to secure an early two.

Beijing 2022Mouat eager to replicate Martin as Team GB chase first curling gold for 20 yearsAN HOUR AGO The US responded with one to reduce the deficit, before the Canadians did the same in the third, but their early advantage was cancelled out in the fourth. The Americans loaded both sides of the house, meaning they were set for two either way, and though their rivals from across the border cleared one side, John Shuster drew to secure two and level at 3-3.

It was nip and tuck and almost the entire fifth end consisted of neither side putting up guards and taking it in turns to knock a stone out of the house, with Gushue eventually taking one to put his side 4-3 up at the halfway mark. The Americans clearly wanted to start the second half with the hammer, just as they did at the end of their semi-final with GB, when throwing away a stone in the penultimate end spectacularly backfired.

But the decision to prioritise the hammer paid off for the US and Shuster drew well to pick up two and take the lead in the match with four ends to play, with fellow athletes shouting ‘U-S-A’ from the stands. A second curling