By Canadian Press

South Korea’s Gim beats Italy’s Constantini at world women’s curling championship

Mar 24, 2024 | 11:41 AM

SYDNEY, N.S. — South Korea’s Eunji Gim defeated Italy’s Stefania Constantini 6-3 on Sunday to win bronze at the world women’s curling championship. 

Gim made a double-takeout to score three points in the 10th end to reach the world podium for the first time in five career appearances. 

Canada’s Rachel Homan was scheduled to play defending champion Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland in the final later in the day at Centre 200.

In the third-place game, neither team could manage a deuce in a quiet first half. Gim had a chance for a pair in the fourth end but settled for a single when her stone rolled out.

The South Korean skip’s draw weight returned for the morning game after a poor showing in a semifinal loss to Canada the night before.

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Gim drew for two points and a 3-2 lead in the sixth end but missed a chance for a force in the seventh with a rollout. Italy tied the game in the eighth end by playing a safer single rather than a tricky double-takeout.

The teams blanked the ninth and Italy was unable to force Gim to draw with her last throw in the 10th end. 

Homan and her Ottawa-based team of Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes will try to end Canada’s six-year title drought at this event.

The Canadians have won all four head-to-head meetings against Tirinzoni this season but the Swiss skip has won four world titles in a row.

Homan’s lone world title came at the 2017 playdowns in Beijing. Canada’s Jennifer Jones won gold the following year in North Bay, Ont.

Homan ended Tirinzoni’s 42-game win streak at this competition en route to an 11-1 round-robin record. The Canadian’s lone defeat — which ended a 27-game overall win streak — was to Gim in a playoff tune-up on Friday with the top seed already secured.

The top-ranked Homan entered the final day with a season record of 61-6 and a 23-8 all-time mark in head-to-head matchups against the second-ranked Tirinzoni.

Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., will skip the Canadian team at the world men’s curling championship starting Saturday in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 24, 2024. 

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Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press