Canadian Curlers Peterman and Gallant Kick Off Olympic Mixed Doubles with a Victory
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO — The Canadian mixed doubles curling team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman faced an eventful start to their Olympic journey on Wednesday. Despite challenges, they emerged victorious in their opening match against the Czech Republic, setting a promising tone for their Olympic campaign.
The match began with an unexpected arena power outage during the first end, causing a brief delay. In the third end, a dead fly's blood marred the ice, necessitating a re-throw in the fourth due to a pre-placed stone being placed incorrectly. Despite these obstacles, Canada secured a 10-5 win, showcasing their resilience and adaptability.
"When things are beyond our control, it's easy to feel frustrated," Gallant remarked. "But we've gained experience over the years, and we know that dwelling on it isn't productive. I'm proud of how we handled these challenges."
The couple, from Chestermere, Alberta, demonstrated their prowess by scoring four points in the second end, establishing a 5-0 lead. Their opponents, Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabicovsky, responded with three points in the third end, followed by a pair in the fourth. Peterman's strategic tap for three in the sixth end sealed the victory, and the players exchanged handshakes after a measure confirmed a Czech single in the seventh.
"It was a dream start," Gallant expressed. "However, in doubles, one can't afford to become complacent, as numerous points are at stake. We're content with how we maintained our focus throughout the match."
The four-game session at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, held two days before the opening ceremony, marked a significant departure from the 2022 Beijing curling experience, where spectators were prohibited due to COVID-19 restrictions. A decent crowd filled the 3,450-seat arena, which also hosted the Cortina Games in 1956.
Peterman and Gallant's triumph at the Canadian Trials a year ago secured their Olympic spot, following a sixth-place finish at the world mixed doubles championship last spring. The Czech team, Zelingrova and Chabicovsky, qualified in December at the Olympic Qualifying Event in Kelowna, British Columbia.
The Canadian team's performance was exceptional, achieving a shooting percentage of 88%, surpassing the Czechs' 59%.
In other matches, Great Britain's Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds emerged victorious over Norway's Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten with an 8-6 score. Sweden's Isabella Wrana and Rasmus Wrana defeated South Korea's Yeongseok Jeong and Seonyeong Kim with a 10-3 rout. Switzerland's Yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann triumphed over Estonia's Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill with a 9-7 score.
Canada's John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes claimed mixed doubles gold in 2018, when the discipline made its Olympic debut in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Morris and Homan, however, missed the playoffs in 2022.
Curling will be a featured event every day until the Games' conclusion on February 22nd.
This report by The Canadian Press was initially published on February 4, 2026, by Gregory Strong.
