Bruce Mouat focused on ending GB medal drought, Montell Douglas set for historic Beijing double - Beijing diary
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/02/2022 at 15:14 GMT
Bruce Mouat is determined to put his curling mixed doubles disappointment behind him as he closes in on a podium in the men's event. Elsewhere, while the medal drought is difficult to ignore, bobsledder Montell Douglas gears up to make history as the first woman to represent Team GB in both Summer and Winter Games. Watch every moment of the Games on discovery+.
'Never stopped fighting' - GB's men overcome ROC for crucial curling victory
Talking helps for British curling skip Mouat
Bruce Mouat admitted he sought help after his Olympic disappointment – and now he's only got eyes on gold.
Mouat admitted defeat in the bronze medal match of the mixed curling with partner Jennifer Dodds left him struggling to sleep.
The pair arrived as reigning world champions and were strongly expected to get Team GB off the mark in Beijing - eight days later they’ve yet to make a single podium.
All of which throws the pressure back on Mouat, whose men’s curling rink have been an unstoppable force in recent days.
They booked their semi-final place with three matches to spare and took their winning streak to six matches with a commanding 8-6 over Russia on Wednesday.
“I’m very happy with where I am right now both physically and mentally. I’ve got to admit it was pretty rough after the mixed doubles," said Mouat.
“I was pretty happy to have a day off afterwards and I spent a fair bit of time speaking with our sports psychologist, I was pretty down and I didn’t sleep much.
“Talking always helps process things. They really helped me to refocus and regroup and I certainly needed that. They reminded me how much I loved curling and what it means to be playing at the Olympics and living my dream.”
Dries is a family guy
Belgian skier Dries van den Brocke feels more at home here in Beijing than most.
That’s because his father Wouter and brother Robin are two of 12 foreign doctors on site in Yanqing ready to deal with any on-course injuries.
"It’s not me as the star," he said. "All the doctors here know them pretty well so when I pass by they go, ‘Oh, you are from Belgium, you know Robin, you know Robin?’."
Van den Brocke crashed out of the giant slalom but thankfully bruised only his pride.
Wouter, a member of the International Ski Federation (FIS) medical commission, is naturally a proud father.
"Being here with my two sons is quite exceptional. It really is cool."
The full Monty
A word to the wise from a British track and field icon helped Montell Douglas prepare to make Olympic history.
Having competed in the 100m at Beijing 2008, bobsledder Douglas is the first woman to represent Team GB in both Summer and Winter Games.
Douglas and Brazilian cross-country skier Jaqueline Mourao are the only athletes to have competed at both Games held in Beijing.
The 36-year-old’s former team-mate Christine Ohuruogu, who won 400m Olympic gold in 2008, got in touch with a word of encouragement.
“Chris actually messaged me before I came out here and said ‘enjoy the experience, it’s going to be very special,’” said Douglas.
“My family came to watch me in the Bird’s Nest and saw Usain Bolt break his record. They’d never been on a plane before. It was very special.”
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Mica McNeil and Montell Douglas determined to put women’s bobsled on the map at Beijing 2022
Small mercies for Team GB
With four days of competition remaining Team GB are still waiting for their first podium place, though Bruce Mouat's curling rink are in the form to suggest this won't be Albertville 1992, where they returned empty handed.
Barring an unlikely change in fortunes, Australia have also beaten the Brits in the medal table for the first time in 12 years,
But there was some good news as Andrew Young and James Clugnet held off a determined challenge from Aussie rivals as they were eliminated in the semi-finals of the cross country skiing team sprint.
“That’s a 1-0 victory in the cross-country skiing Ashes I think,” joked Young. “Even if that is not our best performance, we can take that as a positive!”
Harland admits disappointment with lack of British medals
Team GB chef de mission Georgie Harland has admitted these Games have been disappointing - but insists any inquest shouldn't start until they are over.
"We've had some really promising results, especially with the future in mind, but we are not going to shy away from some that are disappointing," she said.
"We'll analyse and break things down after the Games but we're focussing on athletes that are still to compete."
By the numbers
Canada - who play the USA in the women’s final in Beijing on Thursday - have won gold or silver at the last six Games, never failing to bank a final appearance since women’s hockey made its debut at Nagano 1998.
The highest scoring ice hockey match in Olympic history was Canada’s 33-0 win over Switzerland in 1934, this helped Harry Watson to a Games best 37 goals in a single tournament.
Riikka Nieminen-Valila is the oldest medallist in women’s ice hockey, aged nearly 45 when she won bronze for Finland four years ago. And that’s just a bit older than 43-year old Teemu Selanne, another Finn, who won men’s bronze in Sochi.
Quote of the day
"It's been a little bit of a struggle personally to score some goals in this tournament but I'm just happy that it came at the right time. I'm just happy that I was able to help the team at this crucial moment.
It was a whole team win and we've just got to make sure we bring this into the next game.
Slovakia's Marek Hrivik after equalising with 44 seconds remaining in their quarter-final men's ice hockey game with the USA. They went on to win a thrilling penalty shoot-out in a classic.
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