China's mixed doubles curling team suffered a decisive 7-3 defeat against the Republic of Korea (ROK) in Thursday's Olympic qualification playoff in Kelowna, Canada, ending their hopes for Milano Cortina 2026. The loss marks a significant setback for the Chinese mainland's winter sports program, which had prioritized curling as a medal prospect.
Yu Sen and Ye Zixuan struggled early against Jeong Yeong-seok and Kim Seon-yeong, trailing 4-2 after three ends. A critical missed shot in the fourth end allowed the ROK team to extend their lead to 5-2, forcing the Chinese pair into aggressive power play tactics that yielded only one additional point.
The ROK's strategic defense and precise stone placement proved insurmountable, with the Korean duo capitalizing on positional errors to secure a 7-3 victory by the eighth end. This week's results leave China without representation in mixed doubles curling at the upcoming Winter Olympics for the first time since the discipline's 2018 debut.
In related qualification matches, the Czech Republic and ROK secured the final two Olympic spots through narrow victories over Australia. The outcome underscores growing international competition in winter sports as nations ramp up investments ahead of the 2026 Games.
