The Swiss curlers win Olympic bronze for the fourth time. The joy is great, but the frustration at losing so narrowly in the semi-final the previous evening has not completely dissipated.
20.02.2026, 22:54
20.02.2026, 23:02
SDA
There are no big emotions after the 9:1 victory in the bronze medal match against Norway. Even though Yannick Schwaller says: "We were very happy for the Swiss, we shouted very loudly." However, the game was too one-sided for the really big emotional outbursts. "It's always a bit different when the game isn't decided with the last stone," explained number 2 Sven Michel after the win.
Benoît Schwarz-van Berkel was the only one who already knew what it felt like to win an Olympic medal. The Geneva native had already finished third in Peter de Cruz's team in 2018. "It's similar again, unbelievable," he says. "An opportunity like this comes so rarely. I'm a big fan of the Olympic Games, the best athletes in every sport are here, you work for four years for this moment. It's brilliant to stand on the podium at the end."
Not yet fully digested the missing millimetres
However, the four Swiss athletes still have to wait for their medals until after the final on Saturday evening between Great Britain and Canada - and there is still a little regret in the faces of the quartet in red and white. "You know the difference between gold and everything else, and it's huge," emphasizes Schwarz-van Berkel. "Yesterday was the biggest defeat of my career, and it was because of four millimeters. That really hurts."
All four players openly admit that they had a difficult night and a difficult morning. "We met at half past ten, spoke from the heart and all said how we were feeling," says Skip Schwaller. "We cleared our heads and then refocused and worked towards a big goal. The fact that we then achieved such a great performance makes me super proud."
Already at the Swiss Championships on Monday
The day was particularly emotional for Sven Michel. In the afternoon, his partner Alina Pätz made it through to the final with the women's team. "That was so well deserved. And then I just managed to concentrate on my game again."
The Swiss also make it clear who their favorite is in the final: Great Britain. "The Scots are good friends of ours." And the fact that Canada presumably lost their last group game on purpose to give Norway the weakest semi-final opponent did not go down well either. Yannick Schwaller's team doesn't have much time to celebrate. They already have to compete in the Swiss Championships on Monday in order to qualify for the World Championships.
