{"id":486996,"date":"2026-02-20T06:06:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T06:06:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/486996\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T06:06:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T06:06:17","slug":"rachel-homan-clears-mammoth-hurdle-to-reach-curling-playoffs-feisty-canada-falls-in-ot-for-womens-hockey-silver-ottawasportspages-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/486996\/","title":{"rendered":"Rachel Homan clears mammoth hurdle to reach curling playoffs, feisty Canada falls in OT for women\u2019s hockey silver \u2013 OttawaSportsPages.ca"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This coverage was first sent as an email newsletter to our subscribers. Sign up to receive it, for free, on our Ottawa at the Olympics page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Newsletter by Martin Cleary, Dan Plouffe & Keiran Gorsky<\/p>\n

When you think of hurdles in relation to sport, you\u2019re more likely to have thoughts of the Summer Olympics.<\/p>\n

Images of sprinters facing multiple hurdles about a yardstick high, zipping down a 100- or 110-metre straightaway come to mind. In the gruelling 400-metre hurdles, the hurdles are farther apart, but the sprint is much more difficult and draining.<\/p>\n

Did you know hurdles were a big part of Thursday\u2019s competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games? These were a different kind of hurdles. You couldn\u2019t see them, but they were definitely there in women\u2019s curling, women\u2019s hockey and men\u2019s curling.<\/p>\n

Ottawa Curling Club\u2019s Rachel Homan cleared a mammoth hurdle along with teammates Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes, when she qualified for the Olympic women\u2019s curling playoff round for the first time in three Olympic appearances in her illustrious career.<\/p>\n

The underdog Canadian women\u2019s hockey team, which had backup goalie Kayle Osborne of Ottawa and three players from the PWHL\u2019s Ottawa Charge on its roster, was 124 seconds away from beating the dominant United States for the first time this season. The Americans had punished the Canadians in their five meetings this season.<\/p>\n

But Canada tripped over their final hurdle as the Americans tied the game 1-1 late in the third period and managed a hard-earned 2-1 win in overtime.<\/p>\n

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Brad Jacobs, whose Canadian team is coached by University of Ottawa graduate Paul Webster (Bachelor of Education, 1998-99), needed an extra end to defeat Norway\u2019s Magnus Ramsfjell 5-4 in the men\u2019s curling semifinals. Norway scored two in the 10th end to force the extra end, after Jacobs led throughout the match.<\/p>\n

That overtime victory will allow Canada an opportunity to win the Olympic gold medal for the first time since he accomplished that ultimate reward at the Sochi 2014 Games. In the past two Olympics, Brad Gushue took bronze at the Beijing 2022 Games and Kevin Koe was fourth at PyeongChang 2018.<\/p>\n

The men\u2019s gold medal final will see Canada face Great Britain, after Bruce Mouat\u2019s rink scored four points over the final three ends to rally past Switzerland\u2019s Benoit Schwarz-van Berkel 8-5.<\/p>\n

Canada also won men\u2019s curling gold in 2010 (Kevin Martin, with Ottawa\u2019s John Morris at third), 2006 (Brad Gushue) as well as silver medals in 2002 (Martin) and 1998 (Mike Harris).<\/p>\n

\"\"Rachel Homan salutes supporters after her team\u2019s 10-7 win over South Korea. Photo: Candice Ward \/ COC<\/p>\n

Needing a win in her final round-robin game, which would extend Canada\u2019s winning streak to five games after a lacklustre 1-3 start, Homan used her deft and precise shot-making to outscore Korea\u2019s Gim Eun-ji 10-7 and slot Canada in a three-way tie for second place. Homan was brilliant coming out of the hack, shooting 96 per cent with her 20 stones.<\/p>\n

When Tabitha Peterson of the United States scored a 7-6 extra-end victory over Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland on the neighbouring sheet of ice, she matched Homan\u2019s 6-3 win-loss record to conclude the round robin.<\/p>\n

Since Canada lost to the U.S. and Switzerland during its three-game losing streak early in the round robin, Canada finished fourth, while the U.S. was placed second and Switzerland third. Anna Hasselborg of Sweden, who won the 2018 Olympic gold medal and took bronze at the 2022 Beijing Games, was the clear-cut round-robin winner at 7-2.<\/p>\n

Two-time defending world champion Canada will face Sweden and the U.S. will battle four-time world champion Switzerland on Friday afternoon in the semifinals to determine the medal matches on Saturday (bronze) and Sunday (gold-silver).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means everything,\u201d Homan told CBC Olympics<\/a> about making the playoffs for the first time. \u201cIt has been a long week. This is what we\u2019ve trained for, what we\u2019ve prepared for for Canada. We couldn\u2019t ask for anything more in this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Homan\u2019s stellar 24-year curling career has everything you can imagine from provincial to national to world championships and a record 20 Grand Slams. But there\u2019s no stamp of approval label on her Winter Olympic Games participation.<\/p>\n

\"\"Emma Miskew. Photo: Candice Ward \/ COC<\/p>\n

Maybe that\u2019s about to change, after her four-player women\u2019s team, which included Miskew, posted a disappointing 4-5 record as the world champion and missed the playoffs with a sixth-place result during the 2018 Olympics.<\/p>\n

At the 2022 Games mixed doubles event, Homan and Morris finished in the middle of the pack at 5-4 for fifth place, missing the playoffs by one position.<\/p>\n

Even though she won the 2025 and 2017 Canadian Olympic trials, Homan\u2019s rink lost in the 2013 Winter Games trials in the semifinals and bottomed out in the nine-team 2017 trials at 2-6.<\/p>\n

If Homan followed the long-distance advice of her first coach Doug Kreviazuk to relax and be herself at the Games<\/a> or some other wise words, she is on a roll, after a cringing 1-3 start, that could take her to an elusive Olympic medal.<\/p>\n

The Homan rink finished its nine-game round robin with impressive shooting, one big-point end and a second-half rally in the 10-end match. Team Canada scored four in the sixth end to snap a 4-4 tie and added singles in the eighth and 10th ends to match Korea\u2019s two in the ninth for a 10-7 victory.<\/p>\n

Gim Eun-ji, the Korean skip, responded to Homan\u2019s single points in the first and second end by scoring three in the third. Homan countered with two in the fourth, but Gim notched one in the fifth to deadlock the game 4-4.<\/p>\n

After winning its opening match against Denmark, Team Homan lost three straight matches to the United States, Great Britain and Switzerland. It looked like Homan would slide into another no-playoff, no-medal Olympics.<\/p>\n

But the 1-3 start was followed by a one-day break, which seemed to revitalize the world\u2019s top-ranked women\u2019s rink. In its final five matches, Homan defeated China and Japan on Monday, Sweden on Tuesday and Italy on Wednesday before its critical meeting with Korea.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one way to get to a semi,\u201d Homan noted. \u201cWe fought hard for everything. Obviously, a slow start and we just kept our belief. We were playing really good. Just on the wrong side of the inch.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust kind of tried to figure out how to get to the other side. Just kept clawing and kept sticking together. I\u2019m just so proud of my team this week, giving Canada a chance to get in that semi. We\u2019ll give it all we have (Friday).\u201d<\/p>\n

The most dominant women\u2019s rink from 2023-26 with an overall record of 191-27 before the Olympics, Homan\u2019s pathway to the Winter Games\u2019 medal round has been filled with intrigue, including a double-touch stone controversy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know that we\u2019re all pulling in the same direction and that\u2019s really what has been the difference for us this week, sticking together and having our support staff help us out with anything that we needed,\u201d Homan said in a Curling Canada news story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t ask for anything more from the girls and I\u2019m just unbelievably proud of them for getting us into this position and into the semi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team Canada hangs tough with USA before heartbreaking finish<\/p>\n

\"\"Olympic women\u2019s hockey silver medallist Team Canada. Photo: Leah Hennel \/ COC<\/p>\n

About two hours after Canada had success on the curling ice, maple leaf supporters were hoping the Canadian women\u2019s hockey team could play the role of David in its gold-medal match against the Goliath Americans.<\/p>\n

Canada and the United States are the two superpowers in women\u2019s hockey, and the 2026 Milano Cortina Games was their seventh meeting in eight Olympic finals. Gold medals were presented to Canada in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022, and the United States experienced that moment in 1998 and 2018.<\/p>\n

A sixth Olympic gold seemed out of the question for Canada as the United States had won four straight games in the Rivalry Series in November and December and outscored the Canadians 24-7. In their Olympic round-robin match, the U.S. shut out Canada 5-0.<\/p>\n

But when the puck dropped in Thursday\u2019s Olympic final, it seemed like old times and the high-performance hockey on both sides was reflected throughout the game.<\/p>\n

Canada showed plenty of two-way energy in the first period and outshot the U.S. 8-6, but couldn\u2019t capitalize on two power-play opportunities.<\/p>\n

The U.S. earned its only powerplay with 15 seconds left at the end of the first period, when Ella Shelton was called for hooking. But 1:09 into the powerplay early in the second period, Canada had a two-on-one attack and Kristin O\u2019Neill outmanoeuvred American goalie Aerin Frankel to score a short-handed goal. Laura Stacey and Renata Fast earned the assists.<\/p>\n

That one-goal lead lasted through 37 minutes and two seconds of intense back-and-forth hockey until the third-period-surging Americans tied the game at 17:56 with Frankel on the bench for an extra skater. Canada missed a golden opportunity to increase its lead to 2-0 with 6:23 left in the third period, but couldn\u2019t connect on its third powerplay.<\/p>\n

Playing in her fifth and final Olympics, Hilary Knight deflected a low, screen shot past steady Canadian goalkeeper Ann-Ren\u00e9e Desbiens to tie the game 1-1. After a full intermission break and flood, Canada and the U.S. decided the gold medal with three-on-three hockey.<\/p>\n

In overtime, Megan Keller took a lengthy pass from Taylor Heise, went around Canadian defender Claire Thompson and put a backhand shot behind Desbiens.<\/p>\n

That goal released all the emotions \u2013 smiles and joyful hugs for the Americans and tears and consoling hugs for the Canadians.<\/p>\n

\"\"Ottawa Charge player Emily Clark (left) and the Canadian women\u2019s hockey team lost the championship game in overtime. Photo: Leah Hennel \/ COC<\/p>\n

Frustrated Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin, the author of seven goals in Olympic finals and five game-winning goals, returned to the Canada bench after the overtime goal, slammed the door and drove her stick into the ground. A few minutes later while waiting for the start of the Victory Ceremony, Poulin hugged every Canadian team member to ease the pain of silver.<\/p>\n

In the semifinal, Poulin, who was injured 10 days ago, scored both goals in Canada\u2019s narrow 2-1 win over Switzerland, which won its second career bronze medal over Sweden.<\/p>\n

Fans of the PWHL\u2019s Ottawa Charge gathered at Lansdowne Park\u2019s Craft Beer Market for an Olympic Watch Party to support its three Canadian players \u2013 forwards Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark and defender Jocelyne Larocque \u2013 as well as two American players \u2013 defender Rory Guilday and goalkeeper Gwyneth Philips. Canada\u2019s roster also included Ottawa-raised goalkeeper Kayle Osborne, who plays for the New York Sirens of the PWHL.<\/p>\n

Charge fans were treated to a tribute to each of its five players in the Olympic final, a gold-medal bingo game and an opportunity to sign a Welcome Back banner to honour the players at a future PWHL game.<\/p>\n

Clark had two shots on goal, but was a minus-2 during her 29 shifts over 18 minutes and one second. Jenner put one shot on goal and was on the ice for 16:39 and 24 shifts. Larocque was on the ice for Canada\u2019s only goal, was credited with one shot on goal and her 29 shifts lasted 15:43.<\/p>\n

Philips was the backup goalkeeper to Frankel. Osborne was Canada\u2019s #3 goalie for the game, but skated onto the ice in full equipment for the medal ceremony. Guilday also didn\u2019t receive any ice time, although she was listed as a fourth-line defender.<\/p>\n

Canadian bobsledders excel in push starts, comedy<\/p>\n

Local bobsledders Mike Evelyn O\u2019Higgins and Jay Dearborn continued to showcase how to look on the bright side after fulfilling the low expectations for the Canadian team in the two-man event.<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s bobsleigh training for the four-man event reached its midpoint and pilot Taylor Austin of Calgary along with Ottawa crew members Evelyn O\u2019Higgins and Keaton Bruggeling posted a pair of 10th-place results in 55.08 seconds and 55.40 seconds for their third and fourth runs respectively. Their blazing start time of 4.92 seconds was second-best out of the 27 participants.<\/p>\n

Evelyn O\u2019Higgins is a two-time Olympian and Bruggeling, a Burlington, ON, athlete who was a Carleton Ravens wide receiver before playing three CFL seasons (2022-24) for the Ottawa Redblacks, is making his Winter Games debut.<\/p>\n

Pilot Dearborn, a defensive player for the Ravens for three seasons, trailed by the smallest of margins in 55.91 seconds in 24th (third heat) and 56.24 seconds in 26th (fourth heat).<\/p>\n

For the second time this week, the men\u2019s aerials competition has been grounded at the snowy Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park.<\/p>\n

Originally scheduled for Tuesday, men\u2019s aerials was postponed until Thursday because of unfavourable weather conditions. On Thursday, heavy snow and poor visibility moved the event to Friday.<\/p>\n

Thursday\u2019s wintery weather not only made it impossible for a fair competition in the Italian Alps, but also made it too difficult for the operation of an air ambulance, if needed.<\/p>\n

Three-time Olympic aerialist Jeff Bean of Ottawa is the head coach of the Canadian aerials team, which has four entries in the qualification round \u2013 Miha Fontaine and Victor Primeau, both of Lac Beauport, PQ, Lewis Irving of Quebec City, and Emile Nadeau of Prevost, PQ.<\/p>\n

Ottawa Olympians in action on Feb. 20:<\/p>\n

Day 14 Preview: Managing Type 1 diabetes big part of ski cross racing for 2-time Olympian Hannah Schmidt<\/p>\n

Hannah Schmidt confidently stands in her individual start hut at the top of the ski cross course with three peers\/rivals around her.<\/p>\n

The gate drops, the skiers pop out like jack-in-the-box figures and all hell breaks loose on the snow for about a minute.<\/p>\n

\"\"Hannah Schmidt flies high during a December race in Italy. File photo <\/p>\n

The Dunrobin athlete is dressed to the nines in a blur of colourful gear, zipping down the serpentine course at top speeds and protecting herself against the dangerous elements with skis by Elan, poles by Leki, boots by Lange and helmet and goggles by Sweet Protection.<\/p>\n

But what spectators don\u2019t see is the most important piece of equipment for the 31-year-old Schmidt. Tucked inside her bra is an insulin pump, which regulates her Type 1 diabetes 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n

For the past 19 years, she has dealt with maintaining a safe blood-sugar level, while training as an alpine skier with the Mont-Tremblant Ski Club and the Carleton University Ravens before shifting eight years ago to ski cross, where four athletes hurtle themselves down a twisting course with airborne bumps.<\/p>\n

Diabetes was a private matter for Schmidt for many years. But the West Carleton Secondary School grad recently started to feel comfortable about talking about it as she wanted to pass along an important message for people with Type 1 diabetes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has always been a part of my life,\u201d Schmidt said in a pre-Games with Ottawa Sports Pages High Achievers columnist Martin Cleary<\/a>. \u201cAt the beginning, I didn\u2019t want people to know.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019ve opened up. You don\u2019t need to change how you live your life to do sports or get that job that you thought was impossible (because of Type 1 diabetes).<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t let it stop you from achieving. It\u2019s not easy. It\u2019s different every day. It\u2019s a battle as your blood sugars go high, go low. It always is in the back of my mind as I deal with race stress and travel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Ottawa\u2019s Hannah Schmidt won the fourth World Cup ski cross race of her career on Jan. 16, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. Photo: Alpine Canada<\/p>\n

Schmidt uses a MiniMed pump, a product of the Brampton-based company Medtronic, which monitors her blood sugars throughout the day and gives her a warning if something isn\u2019t right. Medtronic also has welcomed her as a Breakthrough T1D Canada ambassador and became one of her sponsors this season.<\/p>\n

Ever since Schmidt was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12, she has lived by a go-to quote, which powers her every day: \u201cDiabetes isn\u2019t going to change what I want to achieve in my life. It might look a bit different and that\u2019s OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schmidt was a strong skier as a junior and into university, but didn\u2019t quite seem destined to crack the national team in alpine events. Once she dipped into ski cross racing on the heels of her younger brother Jared trying the new pursuit<\/a>, it didn\u2019t take long for Schmidt to both excel and encounter multiple challenges in the rough and tumble sport, including rehab from three major injuries and recoveries in the past seven years.<\/p>\n

You can read more about Schmidt\u2019s path to the Olympics in this full feature on OttawaSportsPages.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Schmidt, who placed seventh in her first Olympics in 2022, will compete in the women\u2019s ski cross event bright and early Ottawa time<\/a>. She has consistently made it to the semi-final round this season, but didn\u2019t jump into the final four who race for the medals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to put it all together on race day and get everything to cook,\u201d she told Cleary.<\/p>\n

\"\"Isabelle Weidemann (left) celebrates with Ivanie Blondin (centre) and Val\u00e9rie Maltais after winning Olympic team pursuit gold. Photo: Leah Hennel \/ COC<\/p>\n

Ivanie Blondin<\/a> will be back on Milano ice Friday following her exhilarating team pursuit gold medal victory alongside fellow Gloucester Concordes product Isabelle Weidemann<\/a> on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Blondin is not favoured to medal in the women\u2019s 1,500 metres, having ranked eighth in this season\u2019s World Cup standings for the event. Saturday\u2019s mass start race is generally her stronger discipline.<\/p>\n

But after seeing the 35-year-old win 94 World Cup and 18 World Championships medals over the course of her career across various distances and pursuits, there is no doubt she is a threat for the podium every time her blades touch the ice.<\/p>\n

Blondin did earn one podium in five World Cup 1,500 m races \u2013 a bronze medal in December at perhaps her last trip to the sport\u2019s mecca in Heerenveen, The Netherlands.<\/p>\n

And in women\u2019s curling, Rachel Homan and Emma Miskew will have the chance to book their elusive place on the Olympic podium when their Ottawa Curling Club rink takes on Sweden in the semi-finals, with the winner advancing to the gold medal final and the loser playing for bronze.<\/p>\n

Having started 1-3, Team Homan earned a critical win over the Swedes in their preliminary round meeting, a determined 8-6 triumph over their first-place opponents.\n<\/p>\n

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