Canadian Olympic Roundup: Morris and Lawes open with mixed results in doubles curling
GANGNEUNG, Korea, Republic Of — The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics don’t officially open until Friday but a couple of Canadians were already in competition mode Thursday.
Doubles curlers John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes opened the Games with a disappointing 9-6 loss to Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten before rebounding with a 6-4 win over Americans Becca and Matt Hamilton.
The event is making its debut in Pyeongchang, and despite Canada’s curling dominance, the country isn’t considered the gold-medal favourite.
Both Ottawa’s Morris and Winnipeg’s Lawes are Olympic gold medallists in curling but they had little experience playing mixed doubles together prior to winning January’s trials.