Canada wins extra-end thriller against Czech Republic in mixed doubles curling
Rachel Homan and John Morris pick up their 5th win of Olympic competition
Canada bolstered its chances of making the playoffs in mixed doubles curling at the Beijing Olympics with a dramatic victory on Sunday.
Rachel Homan and John Morris both made some fantastic shots late in the game to pull out a 7-5 extra end win over the Czech Republic's Tomas Paul and Zuzana Paulova.
Homan's clutch draw to score two in the eighth to force an extra end was the shot of the game.
"It was a big shot, but I think it was worse when I realized there were only two seconds left on the clock," Homan told CBC's Colleen Jones afterwards.
The top four nations from the 10-team field at the end of the round-robin advance to the semifinals. Italy has already qualified for the semis. Head-to-head records will serve as the tiebreaker if two nations are tied in the standings. Draw-to-the-button shootout totals come into play when more than two teams are tied.
Canada can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Australia later on Sunday.
"That was probably the most dramatic curling game I've ever been a part of. Those Czechs played so well, and I know how hard they work at this game. They threw everything at us. We thought we probably lost a few times, but you can never give up in this game. Just really proud of our squad for sticking at it and persevering," Morris said.
"We grabbed a win from the depths of defeat in that one. That was a wild one."
WATCH | Clutch shots in extra end steals win for Canada's Homan, Morris:
Homan's raise shot with Canada's final stone prevented the Czechs from scoring two, and instead forced them to settle for one in the opening end. Homan's draw shot under pressure with the hammer in the next end allowed Canada to score one and tie things up.
The Czechs picked up one in the third, but Canada replied with a single in the fourth end via Homan's take-out with the hammer. It was a let-off for the Czechs, though, as Homan had a hit for two available to her.
Some fantastic sweeping by Morris on Homan's final stone of the fifth end allowed Canada to steal one and take its first lead of the game.
CANADA FOR THE WIN 🇨🇦 <br><br>AN INCREDIBLE WIN FOR THE CANADIANS<br><br>THEY STEAL THE WIN<br><br>A HUG BETWEEN HOMAN AND MORRIS
—@Devin_HerouxThe Czechs cashed in on its one power play to score two in the sixth end and take a 4-3 lead after Paulova's takeout with the hammer. Canada chose to give up a steal of one in the seventh to go down 5-3 but keep the hammer for the eighth end.
The tactic worked, as Homan made a clutch draw for two in the eighth to tie things up at 5-5 and force an extra end.
A huge miss by Paul with his side's fourth stone gave Canada shot rock, and Homan followed up with a take-out to put the pressure squarely on the Czechs. Paulova's double takeout with the hammer didn't produce anything, allowing Canada to steal two and win the game.
WATCH | Highlights: Homan, Morris steal victory for Canada in mixed doubles curling:
Canada returns to action later on Sunday when it closes out the round robin vs. Australia (7:05. a.m. ET) and Italy (8:05 p.m. ET).
The Australians originally pulled out of the Olympics on Sunday after Tahli Gill tested positive for COVID-19. But they then received a late reprieve following an urgent meeting of the Medical Expert Panel (MEP) in Beijing.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) received an email from the Chinese Public Health System advising them that Gill and partner Dean Hewitt could continue to compete under the Close Contact provisions. The MEP examined Gill's CT values following PCR testing over the previous 24 hours and determined that they fell into an acceptable range.
WATCH | USA curler Persinger breaks down after learning of team Australia positive COVID test:
The Australian duo was previously coached by Morris when they relocated to Canmore, Alta., last September, and the teams played each other in practice games to prepare for the Beijing Olympics.
"They're warriors. They've worked so hard at this game, and they've really inspired me. Just their attitudes, and how positive they are and how hard they work… We know we're in for a barn burner," Morris said.
Morris is attempting to win his third Olympic medal. He was a member of Kevin Martin's gold medal winning team at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He also won gold in mixed doubles with Kaitlyn Lawes at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
All competitions will be streamed live on CBC Gem, the CBC Sports app and CBC Sports' Beijing 2022 website.
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