Winter Sports 101: Curling

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Curling is a team event which consisted of two or four athletes, and each team takes a turn in throwing eight curling stone in each game. When the curling stone is thrown, athletes follow the movement of the stone, and use “broom” to "sweep" the ice surface, which could control the direction and speed of the stone. Higher scores would be given for the stones which stay close to the center of the house.

Curling was adopted as an official sport in the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games. There were two curling events – men’s and women’s curling in past Winter Olympic Games.

Canada has won 10 medals in total in past Winter Olympics; men’s team has won three gold medals in a row since 2006 Turin Games, while women’s team also grabbed the 1998 Nagano Games and 2014 Sochi Game’s title.

China’s women’s team has grabbed a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, and men’s team achieved fourth place in 2014 Sochi Games.

The mixed doubles event has been adopted as an official competition in Winter Olympics for the first time at this year’s PyeongChang Games. Team Canada grabbed the gold medal and China stayed fifth place.