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United States upsets world champion Sweden in opening curling match
Associated Press
OGDEN — American curlers opened the Olympic tournament with a 10-5 upset of world champion Sweden on Monday thanks to a difficult shot by skip Tim Somerville.
With the Americans leading 4-3 in the seventh end, or inning, Sweden looked in position to tie when Somerville used an angle shot to knock one stone into the Swedish stone and push them out of scoring position.
"It was like a 1-in-20 shot but it was kind of the only one I had," Somerville said.
That helped the Americans score a 4-0 advantage in the end to lead 8-3. Sweden tried to come back but the Americans held a 10-5 advantage after nine ends and the Swedes conceded.
In other first round play in the 10-team tournament, Finland defeated Denmark, 9-3, Germany topped France, 9-5 and Canada, the 2000 world champion, edged Britain 6-4.
The Americans, who finished fourth in 1998, had another match later Monday against the Canadians.
The top four teams advance to the semifinals beginning on Feb. 20.
"I feel like I have won a medal already," Somerville said. "But there is still a long, long journey to go."
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February 11, 2002
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