CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – In a dramatic turn of events at the Milan Cortina Olympics, Japan’s women’s curling team, led by Skip Sayaka Yoshimura, achieved its first victory early Saturday but faced a setback later in the day, leaving them with a record of one win and three losses.
After a challenging start to her Olympic debut with two underwhelming performances on Thursday, Yoshimura showcased significant improvement, leading her team to a 7-5 win over Switzerland at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. However, the joy of victory was short-lived as they fell 7-4 to the United States in their next match.
The decisive factor in the loss against the United States occurred during a crucial stretch from the fifth to the eighth ends, where Japan surrendered five points—four of which were allowed while they held the last stone advantage. This pivotal moment placed them in a 7-3 deficit that they could not overcome. “Up until the middle stages, we were able to build a good rhythm, but our opponents were also making solid shots. Then in the eighth end, my draw went long, and we gave up points. That allowed the momentum to shift,” Yoshimura reflected.
In the match against Switzerland, Japan initially fell behind but made a strong comeback, culminating in a vital steal in the eighth end that secured their lead and ultimately the win. Currently positioned near the bottom of the 10-team Olympic competition, the Fortius team is facing dwindling prospects for the semifinals, and their ambitions of replicating the medal-winning performances of Hokkaido’s rival team, Loco Solare, from the 2018 and 2022 games seem increasingly challenging.
Despite these challenges, Yoshimura remains optimistic, emphasizing the need for her team to start “stacking up wins” over their remaining five preliminary matches. “I believe the results will follow. We’ll focus on what we can control and continue linking our shots together one after the other as a team,” she stated, reflecting a hopeful determination to turn their fortunes around as the tournament progresses.