Undefeated Italy wins gold in Olympic mixed doubles curling

Stefania Constantini (L) and Amos Mosaner of Italy compete during the curling mixed doubles gold medal game of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Italy and Norway at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)

BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Undefeated Italy beat PyeongChang 2018 bronze medalist Norway 8-5 to win the mixed doubles curling title at Beijing 2022 on Tuesday evening, notching the first ever Olympic curling medal for their country.

In the first end, the Italian duo of Amos Mosaner and Stefania Consitantini let Norway steal two points, but soon leveled the game 2-2, and stole their single point in the third, taking the lead 6-2 in the first half.

With last stone advantage, the Norwegian pair of Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten pocketed one point in the fifth end, reducing Italy's lead to 6-3. In the sixth end, Consitantini's last shoot took out Norway's counting stone in the button, and Italy led 7-3.

In the seventh end, the Norwegians rushed ahead with accurate raise and sound defense, reducing the gap to 7-5.

Facing a threatening situation, Italy called power-play at the beginning of the last end. Consitantini played the double take-out with the last stone, scoring one more point to secure their 11th straight victory and the first ever curling gold medal in Italian history.

Standing on the podium with flowers, Constantini smiled and waved to onlookers, but Mosaner's expression was more serious.

"Maybe because I don't believe it. Maybe I won't realize it for the next days or next weeks at all. I'm not realizing what's happening right now," said the 26-year-old.

Constantini, who used to work as a shop assistant, seemed to be as calm as she had been on the sheet. "I just played my best curling. I tried to do it, and that's it. I worked hard to reach this, and that's it," said the 22-year-old.

This is the first time the Italian pair has competed in the Olympics, but even their coach Claudio Pescia was shocked by their nearly perfect performance, considering they have only been paired together for two years.

According to official statistics, Consitantini has a success rate of 79.7 percent, ranking first among all female curlers at Beijing 2022, while Mosaner was fourth among male curlers.

Pescia expressed confidence that the pair's gold medal will help popularize curling in Italy, adding that there are only three curling facilities in northern Italy, and "millions of sports are above curling".

"So our job now is to take this momentum to carry on and to organize stuff for beginners, and I would like to have more facilities in mid- and south Italy," said the coach. 

Amos Mosaner of Italy competes during the curling mixed doubles gold medal game of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Italy and Norway at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)

Kristin Skaslien (front) and Magnus Nedregotten of Norway compete during the curling mixed doubles gold medal game of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Italy and Norway at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)

Bronze medalists Almida de Val (L) and Oskar Eriksson of Sweden attend the awarding ceremony of the curling mixed doubles event of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)

Amos Mosaner (front) and Stefania Constantini of Italy compete during the curling mixed doubles gold medal game of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics between Italy and Norway at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)

Gold medalists Stefania Constantini (L) and Amos Mosaner of Italy attend the awarding ceremony of the curling mixed doubles event of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)

Silver medalists Kristin Skaslien (L) and Magnus Nedregotten of Norway attend the awarding ceremony of the curling mixed doubles event of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Li He)