Brad Jacobs Guides Canada to Historic second Olympic Men’s Curling gold Over a Decade Later
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Brad Jacobs once again led Canada to glory by capturing his second Olympic gold medal in men’s curling, twelve years after his initial victory. In a gripping final against Bruce Mouat and the world’s top-ranked Great Britain team, Canada triumphed wiht a 9-6 finish.
Strategic Mastery and Precision Define the Final Clash
The championship match unfolded as an intense duel of skill and tactics, with both teams exchanging momentum throughout. The turning point arrived in the ninth end when Jacobs delivered a crucial three-point score. He then capitalized on an error by Mouat in the tenth end to steal an additional point, clinching victory without requiring extra ends.
“Our resilience and teamwork made all the difference,” Jacobs remarked. “Sharing this moment with my teammates is something I’ll never forget.”
A Legacy Cemented: From Sochi to Milan
This latest gold adds another chapter to Jacobs’ remarkable career following his first Olympic triumph at Sochi 2014. His teammates bring equally impressive pedigrees: Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert each earned gold medals at Vancouver 2010 and have competed through multiple olympics including Pyeongchang 2018 where they narrowly missed podium finishes. Brett Gallant complements this elite lineup with a bronze medal from Beijing 2022 alongside Kennedy.
Kennedy now holds the distinction of being Canada’s most decorated Olympic curler, underscoring the depth of experience within this squad.
The Stiff Competition: great Britain’s Pursuit of Gold
Mouat’s rink entered as reigning world number one favorites eager for thier first Olympic title after silver medals in Beijing 2022 and now Milan 2026. Despite falling short, Great Britain demonstrated why they remain among curling’s elite through precise shot execution and strategic ingenuity throughout the contest.
Ben Hebert: “They’re top-ranked for good reason – matches like these can swing on just one shot.”
Canadian Women Capture Bronze Over USA
The Canadian women’s team also made headlines by securing bronze with a hard-fought 10-7 win against Team USA earlier that day at Cortina Curling Olympic stadium. Ottawa skip Rachel Homan finally earned her inaugural Olympic medal after three attempts on curling’s grandest stage.
The Crowd Factor: Scottish Fans Bring Electric Atmosphere
The arena buzzed almost like an away game for Canada due to passionate support from Scottish fans backing mouat’s team.Their chants, flag-waving, and rhythmic stomping energized Great Britain throughout much of the match despite ultimately witnessing their side fall short.
Pivotal Moments That Shaped The Outcome
- Ninth End Shift: A critical misstep by Great Britain saw them miss key double takeouts before bumping a freeze near the button-allowing Jacobs to seize two points that swung momentum decisively toward Canada.
- Tenth End Decisive Play: With only seconds left (7.2 seconds), Jacobs executed a powerful hit forcing Mouat into an extremely difficult final shot which overcurled-sealing Canada’s narrow victory without overtime tension.
- Crowd Eruption: As victory was confirmed brooms soared skyward amid embraces between players and coaches while celebrations spilled over into family sections where Kennedy proudly waved Canada’s flag alongside Jacobs.
Tactical Blunders Balanced By Brilliant Execution Throughout Match
- Mouat accidentally nudged out a guard stone during fourth end but recovered when Jacob’s draw was heavy allowing GB one point instead of potential steal opportunity for Canada;
- An attempted blank fifth end backfired slightly when Jacobs hit nose-on resulting only in scoring one point;
- Mouat thrilled spectators during sixth-end cross-house double takeout despite Canadian control earlier;
This tightly contested battle left no margin for error given GB’s lineup featuring Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan who consistently pressured Canadian shots while maintaining composure until late-game mistakes shifted advantage toward Team Canada.
A Celebrated Medal Ceremony Featuring Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller
The podium included bronze medallist Yannick Schwaller along with his Swiss teammates joining Jacob’s rink as all athletes received well-deserved recognition following fiercely competitive curling events across these Games.
