In a thrilling showdown on Thursday, December 11, in Kelowna, Canada, China's men's curling team clinched the last spot for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics by beating Japan 9-4. This victory means both the men's and women's Chinese rinks will slide onto the ice in Italy next February 🥌✨
The qualifier felt like a bruising mini-league. The Chinese squad – featuring Xu Xiaoming, Xu Jingtao, Li Zhichao, Fei Xueqing and Wang Zhenhao – opened strong with an 8-5 win over the Netherlands, then edged the USA 9-8 and eased past the Philippines 5-2. After six straight round-robin wins, they tasted their first defeat against Japan, 9-6, only to bounce back when it mattered most.
Under the rules, the top two teams clashed for direct qualification, and after losing 9-4 to the USA, China faced Japan again for the final berth. Holding the hammer in the ninth end, the Chinese rink scored four big points to seal a 9-4 triumph, sealing their Olympic dream 🎉
This milestone showcases China's growing strength in winter sports and adds excitement to the road to Milano Cortina 2026. Stay tuned as these athletes prepare to rock the curling world next year 🌍❄️
Reference(s):
China beat Japan to claim men's curling berth for 2026 Winter Olympics
cgtn.com
