Road to 2026: Olympic dreams realised in Kelowna

Four teams completed the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada with the ultimate result: qualification for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games — the biggest competition on the curling calendar.

They were United States and Japan in the women’s competition, and United States and China in the men’s competition.

Celebrating hard-fought victories

United States women’s skip Tabitha Peterson spoke for them all when she said, “I can’t wait to get there and perform and show the world what we can do.”

It had been a week of tough competition for all the teams as China’s Xu Xiaoming confirmed, “We’ve had to work so hard this week, so we’re very excited.”

Yoshimura Sayaka, Japan’s women’s skip also acknowledged how important it had been to perform and to win, “We prepared very well and we’ve fought all the way.

“At the end when we got that victory, I felt we had done everything that we could to win, so I’m just so happy!”

Fei Xueqing, Team China © World Curling / Stephen Fisher

Breakthrough for new contenders

Among the successful teams perhaps the biggest surprise was the American men — a young team who had won their national Olympic trials just a couple of weeks earlier.

Skip Daniel Casper’s only international medal so far was silver at the 2023 FISU World University Games, and now his young team will be wearing the stars and stripes on the biggest stage of them all.

Casper said, “I felt pressure, but it’s an honour to play in games that give you that. This felt like a real group effort.”

Daniel Casper and Luc Violette, Team United States © World Curling / Stephen Fisher

He also confessed that his team’s way forward now is not yet clear.

“I have no idea [what happens now]. I didn’t want to think about things until we got there. I guess I’ll find out now!” he said.

“To be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I know the reaction at home has been awesome. They had a bit of a watch party at my home club [for the play-off win], and it was super late at night over there.”

Looking forward to making his Olympic debut, he said, “I’m just grateful to have an opportunity like this now. Obviously, we want to do well in the competition but I think that being surrounded by all those Olympic athletes, I’m sure we’ll also learn a lot.”

Taking on a new challenge

As a result of her team’s qualification, United States third Cory Thiesse will now compete in mixed doubles and the women’s team event. She said, “This will be my second Olympics, but my first one playing — I was alternate in 2018.”

“If you had told me four years ago, I’d be competing in two disciplines in Cortina, I’d have thought you were crazy, so now, it’s a dream come true.”

She also reflected on what the next few weeks will bring.

“To be able to represent our country at the highest level, it means a lot. This is a validation of all the work we’ve put in, and being an Olympian is special — it’s what we work for as athletes.”

Team United States © World Curling / Jeffrey Au

United States skip Tabitha Peterson also highlights an important difference this time round, when compared to the COVID-restricted Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“Unlike Beijing, we’re going to have our families along and that support will be really important. We won’t feel that isolation like we felt in Beijing.”

Looking ahead to Cortina

All four of these teams, and the eight other women’s and men’s teams already qualified for Cortina, are all now just waiting for one more instruction… “Let the Games begin!”

Now, the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna moves on to the mixed doubles competition, with 16 teams, divided into two groups competing for the last two places in that event’s Olympic line-up.

Follow the live scores from the mixed doubles competition here.

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