Swedish Hasselborg tops Canada’s Jones in curling for women at the games in Beijing
BEIJING – A comeback bid was stifled last Saturday when Jennifer Jones and her Canadian teammates made a late mistake in a 7-6 loss to Swedish Anna Hasselborg at the Games in Beijing.
Canada went for a thin double in an attempt to make three for the win, provided they had the second shot for a draw if it didn’t work out.
The assumption proved costly. Jones’ last stone bent slightly over and a measurement confirmed that the Swedish stone on the edge of the eight-foot-long ring was really closer.
Holding Canada to a single gave the defending champions the victory and sent Jones to his second straight loss.
“I was surprised that the measure did not go our way,” said Canadian Vice President Kaitlyn Lawes. “I’m actually still pretty shocked about it. I would have bet my house that we put other shots there.”
The Swedes were pressed after two stones were picked up earlier in the end. Third Sara McManus helped her side by doing a delicate hit and roll that almost froze the button.
Hasselborg put his last shot on the back of the eight-footer near two Canadian stones. Jones hit the shot stone and rolled next to it, needed a small bump or two to move the Swedish stone enough.
Instead, the shooter caught the Canadian stone thick for the only point.
“I was quite happy to have the opportunity and unfortunately it only curled up half an inch,” Jones said. “It was not that far away.
“I thought we were second shots so I thought we would take an extra (finish) and unfortunately we were not.”
Sweden improved to 2-1 and Canada slipped to 1-2.
“Sure, we had a happy break,” said Sweden’s coach Wayne Middaugh. “Jen never misses that shot, ever. It was really lucky for us.”
Sweden almost jumped out to a big lead in the beginning. Jones managed to bury a draw that forced Hasselborg to try an in-off for four points.
The Swedish stone rolled under the Canadian stone to give Jones a steal. Hasselborg took the lead in the third with a tapback for two after a Jones hit and a roll that moved a little too far.
Jones could not remove a Swedish stone in the fifth end and Hasselborg made a delicate split and made three to a lead of 5-2.
“It’s a big roller coaster,” said Hasselborg. “So many things happen in a 10-game final. You just have to see every shot as it is and play it.”
Sweden did not let go of the lead despite an improved Canadian game in the second half.
Jones made a raise-double in the eighth for a pair and forced Hasselborg to pull the button for a single in the ninth.
In other matches, South Korea’s EunJung Kim beat Russia’s Alina Kovaleva 9-5 and Japanese Satsuki Fujisawa scored three in the 10th end for an 8-7 win over Danish Madeleine Dupont.
Swiss Silvana Tirinzoni and American Tabitha Peterson, both undefeated with 3-0, were inactive for a draw in the morning.
Japan, South Korea and Sweden were shared in third place with 2-1. Canada, Denmark and the United Kingdom were 1-2 ahead of undefeated China and Russia 0-3.
“I do not think we will be able to afford too many more losses,” Jones said. “So we have to find ways to win some matches here.”
The four best teams in the 10-team curling position for women will make it to the playoffs.
In the men’s game, Canada’s Brad Gushue would play against Sweden’s Niklas Edin later in the day.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on February 12, 2022.
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