Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg secured a 6-5 victory over Switzerland in a closely contested final at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, making them the first women’s team to achieve three Olympic medals. The team, known as “Team Hasselborg,” previously won gold at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018 and followed it up with a bronze in Beijing in 2022. Despite facing doubts as underdogs at Milano Cortina 2026, their previous successes were overshadowed.
Significant changes in their personal lives during the last Olympic cycle caused disruptions, including three team members, including Hasselborg, having pregnancies in 2023. However, they gradually regained form leading up to the Cortina campaign, clinching their third European Curling Championships title in November. Their strong performance in the round-robin phase saw them become the first team to advance to the semi-finals, where they defeated Canada, the top-ranked women’s team and two-time world champions.
In the final match on Sunday, Sweden took an early lead with a two-pointer, but Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni managed to level the score at 3-3 in the sixth end with precise draws. Despite the pressure, Hasselborg’s team held their ground, eventually securing a victory with a final decisive point, thanks to outstanding shots from Agnes Knochenhauer and Sara McManus. For Tirinzoni and Paetz, both four-time world champions, winning an Olympic medal remained a notable achievement despite their defeat.
In a separate match, Rachel Homan’s Canada claimed the bronze medal by defeating the United States 10-7.