The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang served as a landmark event for curling, featuring the debut of Mixed Doubles and historic victories for the United States and Sweden. The final medal standings saw Sweden lead with two medals (one gold, one silver), while the United States secured its first-ever curling gold in the men’s division and Canada dominated the inaugural mixed doubles event.
Overview of the PyeongChang 2018 Curling Program
The curling competitions at the 2018 Winter Olympics were held at the Gangneung Curling Centre from February 8 to 25, 2018. This venue, a repurposed indoor ice rink originally built in 1998, provided a unique atmosphere for the "Roaring Game." For the first time in Olympic history, three distinct curling disciplines were contested: the traditional Men’s and Women’s team events and the newly introduced Mixed Doubles.
The introduction of Mixed Doubles was a strategic move by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Curling Federation (WCF) to increase the pace of the game and appeal to a broader television audience. Unlike the traditional 10-end games played by teams of four, Mixed Doubles consists of eight ends, teams of two (one male, one female), and pre-placed "power play" options that significantly alter strategy.
In total, 10 nations competed in the men’s and women’s tournaments, while eight nations participated in the mixed doubles debut. The qualification process was based on points earned at the 2016 and 2017 World Curling Championships, alongside a final Olympic Qualification Event held in late 2017.
The Men’s Tournament: A Historic "Miracurl"
The men's tournament in 2018 is remembered primarily for the improbable rise of Team USA, led by skip John Shuster. After a lackluster start to the round-robin stage, the American team faced near-elimination. However, a string of consecutive victories against high-ranking opponents, including three-time defending gold medalists Canada, propelled them into the playoffs.
The Men’s Round-Robin Standings
The round-robin phase was a grueling double-round-robin format where the top four teams advanced to the semifinals. Sweden, led by Niklas Edin, dominated the early stages, finishing at the top of the leaderboard.
- Sweden: 7–2
- Canada: 6–3
- United States: 5–4
- Switzerland: 5–4 (Won tiebreaker against Great Britain)
- Great Britain: 5–4
- Norway: 4–5
- South Korea: 4–5
- Japan: 4–5
- Italy: 3–6
- Denmark: 2–7
The Men’s Playoff Scores
In the semifinals, Sweden defeated Switzerland 9–3, while the United States pulled off a stunning 5–3 victory over Canada. This set the stage for a final between the veteran Swedish powerhouse and the surging American squad.
Gold Medal Match: USA 10 – 7 Sweden The final was a tactical battle until the 8th end. With the score tied at 5–5, John Shuster executed a historic double-takeout to score five points—a "five-ender"—effectively clinching the gold. This victory marked the first time the United States had ever won an Olympic gold medal in curling.
Bronze Medal Match: Switzerland 7 – 5 Canada The bronze medal match was equally surprising. Canada, a perennial favorite that had won gold in the previous three Olympics, was held off the podium entirely. Switzerland’s Benoît Schwarz delivered a masterclass in precision, securing a 7–5 victory for Team Peter de Cruz.
The Women’s Tournament: The Rise of the "Garlic Girls"
The women's event was characterized by the unexpected success of the home nation, South Korea. Known affectionately as the "Garlic Girls" due to their hometown’s reputation for garlic production, Team Kim Eun-jung became a global sensation. Their precise play and the skip’s iconic "Annie!" commands to her sweepers captured the imagination of the host country.
The Women’s Round-Robin Standings
South Korea finished the round-robin at the top of the standings, losing only one game.
- South Korea: 8–1
- Sweden: 7–2
- Great Britain: 6–3
- Japan: 5–4
- China: 4–5
- Canada: 4–5
- Switzerland: 4–5
- United States: 4–5
- OAR (Russia): 2–7
- Denmark: 1–8
The Women’s Playoff Scores
The semifinals were high-stakes affairs. South Korea defeated Japan in an extra-end thriller (8–7), while Sweden, skipped by Anna Hasselborg, defeated Great Britain 10–5.
Gold Medal Match: Sweden 8 – 3 South Korea While the crowd in Gangneung was fervent, Team Hasselborg showed remarkable composure. Sweden dominated the final from the start, taking a 4–1 lead by the end of the 5th end and never looking back. The match ended after nine ends when South Korea conceded. Sweden’s victory solidified their status as the premier women’s curling nation of the era.
Bronze Medal Match: Japan 5 – 3 Great Britain Japan, led by Satsuki Fujisawa, earned the country’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by defeating Eve Muirhead’s British squad. The match was a defensive struggle, with Japan utilizing several blank ends to maintain control of the hammer in the later stages.
Mixed Doubles: A New Strategic Era
The debut of Mixed Doubles in 2018 brought a different rhythm to the ice. With only two players and fewer stones, the games were faster and often higher-scoring. Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris entered as favorites and lived up to the billing, despite an opening-match loss.
Mixed Doubles Round-Robin and Standings
- Canada: 6–1
- Switzerland: 5–2
- OAR (Russia): 4–3
- Norway: 4–3
- China: 2–5
- South Korea: 2–5
- United States: 2–5
- Finland: 1–6
Mixed Doubles Playoff Scores and Controversy
The semifinals saw Canada defeat Norway 8–4, and Switzerland edge out the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) 7–5.
Gold Medal Match: Canada 10 – 3 Switzerland Lawes and Morris were clinical in the final. They scored four points in the third end and three points in the sixth, forcing a Swiss concession. This made John Morris a two-time gold medalist and Kaitlyn Lawes the first female curler to win gold in two different Olympic events.
Bronze Medal Match and Doping Disqualification Initially, the OAR duo of Anastasia Bryzgalova and Alexander Krushelnitskiy won the bronze medal match against Norway (8–4). However, shortly after the match, Krushelnitskiy tested positive for meldonium, a prohibited substance. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) disqualified the OAR team, and the bronze medal was officially awarded to Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten.
2018 Olympic Curling Medal Standings
The following table summarizes the distribution of medals across all three curling disciplines in PyeongChang.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s Team | United States (Shuster) | Sweden (Edin) | Switzerland (de Cruz) |
| Women’s Team | Sweden (Hasselborg) | South Korea (Kim) | Japan (Fujisawa) |
| Mixed Doubles | Canada (Lawes/Morris) | Switzerland (Perret/Rios) | Norway (Skaslien/Nedregotten) |
Technical Analysis: Ice Conditions and Equipment
The 2018 Games were notable for the high quality of the ice, prepared by Chief Ice Technician Hans Wuthrich. Curling ice is not smooth; it is sprayed with water droplets that freeze into tiny bumps called "pebble." The interaction between the stone and the pebble allows the stone to "curl" or curve.
In PyeongChang, the Gangneung Curling Centre was praised for its consistency. However, teams had to adjust to the speed of the ice, which was reportedly faster than many were used to on the domestic circuit. This favored teams with strong "directional sweeping" techniques. By 2018, the "broomgate" controversy of 2015-2016 had been resolved with standardized fabric for broom heads, meaning success in PyeongChang relied on physical power and precise angles rather than aggressive brush head technology.
The Men's final, in particular, showcased how ice conditions can change over a match. As the 8th end approached, the "path" to the button became slightly more predictable, allowing John Shuster to attempt the risky double-takeout that ultimately won the gold.
Historical Impact and Legacy
The 2018 results shifted the global hierarchy of curling. For decades, Canada had been the dominant force, but the 2018 Games marked the first time since curling’s reintroduction in 1998 that a Canadian team did not win a medal in either the men's or women's traditional team events.
Conversely, the success of South Korea and Japan ignited a surge of interest in curling across Asia. The "Garlic Girls" became cultural icons, leading to increased funding and participation in Pacific-Asia curling programs. In the United States, Shuster’s gold medal transformed the sport from a niche winter curiosity into a celebrated Olympic discipline, leading to the growth of dedicated curling facilities across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the gold medal in men's curling in 2018?
The United States, skipped by John Shuster, won the gold medal by defeating Sweden 10–7 in the final. This was the first Olympic gold medal for the U.S. in the history of the sport.
Why did Norway receive the bronze medal in Mixed Doubles?
Norway was awarded the bronze medal after the original bronze medalists, the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR), were disqualified. Alexander Krushelnitskiy tested positive for the banned substance meldonium, leading to the forfeiture of the medal.
What happened to the Canadian curling teams in 2018?
While Canada won gold in the inaugural Mixed Doubles event, both the men’s and women’s teams failed to medal. The women's team (Rachel Homan) did not qualify for the playoffs, and the men's team (Kevin Koe) lost the bronze medal match to Switzerland.
Who were the members of the South Korean "Garlic Girls"?
The silver-medal-winning South Korean women's team consisted of Kim Eun-jung (skip), Kim Kyeong-ae (third), Kim Seon-yeong (second), Kim Cho-hi (lead), and Kim Yeong-mi (alternate). They were coached by Kim Min-jung.
What was the final score of the 2018 Women's Curling Gold Medal match?
Sweden defeated South Korea with a final score of 8–3. The match was conceded by South Korea after the ninth end.
Final Summary of Results
The 2018 Olympic curling results represent a turning point in the sport's history, characterized by the breaking of traditional European and North American dominance and the successful integration of Mixed Doubles. For those seeking to verify historical records or analyze the progression of the sport leading into the 2026 cycle, the PyeongChang data serves as a critical benchmark for international parity.
Practical Recommendation: For researchers or fans looking to study these matches in depth, the Official Olympic Games Website and the World Curling Federation maintain full end-by-end scoreboards and shot-success percentages for every match played in the 2018 Winter Games.
