Mouat & Dodds denied curling bronze as GB wait goes on

Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat suffered Winter Olympic heartbreak in the mixed doubles curling for the second time in four years after losing out on bronze to hosts Italy.

The British duo had been peerless in the round-robin format, losing just once and topping the standings, but that fine form has evaporated in the play-offs.

A surprise defeat by Sweden in Monday’s semi-finals was followed by this 5-3 loss in a febrile Cortina Curling Stadium high in the Dolomites, which leaves Team GB still searching for their first medal of the Games.

As the celebrations of the boisterous home fans rolled down the wooden bleachers in this quirky arena – where Italy’s Stefania Constantini learned the game as a child – the Scottish pair suffered their latest Olympic disappointment.

“So close, but so far,” Dodds told BBC Sport. “It hurts the same as four years ago but I don’t want to ugly-cry so I’m going to stop there.”

This time was supposed to be different. The memories of losing both play-off matches in Beijing four years ago were supposed to fuel their bid for a medal. They were supposed to have ribbon around their necks and metal upon their chests.

But instead, they will be left with more regrets as they head into the men’s and women’s events on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

In a game of fine margins, Mouat and Dodds were repeatedly an inch or two away from where they needed to be.

They started with the hammer – theoretically advantageous in allowing a team to control a match – and had a shot in the first end to take three points.

However, Dodds’ effort was fractionally out and the Italians stole one. It would be a recurring theme as Constantini and Amos Mosaner dictated the contest.

The British pair levelled, before the hosts edged back ahead in a cagey third end and pinched another in the third. Again, it was a near-miss from Dodds.

That had Italy 3-1 ahead at the interval and GB chasing.

One in the fifth was less than they wanted but a big mistake by Mosaner in the sixth opened the door. Was this going to be the moment the momentum shifted?

It wasn’t. Constantini – a picture of tranquility throughout – played a perfect shot to ensure the Italians edged two clear again with two to play.

GB needed a big score, and deployed their powerplay, but again could only take one and were left needing a steal to even force an extra end.

They couldn’t. And they were left to face the nightmare scenario of another Games in which they have finished in fourth place and without a mixed doubles medal.

“We spoke last night about how lucky we are to be playing at the Olympics as best mates,” Mouat added. “We are two people that grew up together and never really knew where we could go with curling. It has been pretty special with Jen.

“I’m obviously pretty gutted but I’m so proud of us for sticking at it.”

Having cruised through the round-robin with just one defeat – against Switzerland after their qualification was already confirmed – the last-four loss to the Swedes, and particularly the manner of it, would have been chastening to the GB duo

Two-time world junior bronze medallist and BBC Sport pundit Logan Gray suspects Dodds and Mouat might not have fully recovered from that by the time they returned to the ice fewer than 24 hours later.

“It’s always the hardest thing to do, get yourself back up and go again in the bronze game,” he said. “I think there was a bit of a hangover there in the first few ends.

“The Olympics only comes once every four years and, no matter what’s happened in the round robin, it’s a brand new competition in the play-offs. The pressure goes up tenfold, and that can create little cracks here and there in communication, leadership, tactical decisions.

“You end up trying to overcomplicate things, overcorrect shots, and it’s just a perfect storm. I think that’s what we’ve seen these past two days.”

The challenge for the two of them now is recovering for their respective team competitions.

Mouat is back on the ice with his men’s rink – who are gold-medal favourites – against China on Wednesday, while Dodds at least gets a day off before her women’s team face the Chinese on Thursday (both 18:05 GMT).

Four-time Olympian and former world champion and BBC Sport pundit Jackie Lockhart hopes that having suffered mixed disappointment before might actually help them this time in Italy.

“It’s a terrible thing to say, but it’s good for them in a way that they’ve been there before and come back to win medals,” she said.