Winter Olympics: Story behind the curling fleece as Laura Robson gift tips Bruce Mouat over the edge after Team GB's final defeat to Canada

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A heartwarming gift from TNT Sports expert Laura Robson left Team GB men's curling skip Bruce Mouat overcome with emotion after their crushing 9-6 defeat to Canada in the final. Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Mouat said he was incredibly proud of Britain's curling efforts over the fortnight in Cortina, which began with his cruel medal miss alongside Jen Dodds in the mixed doubles.

Emotional Mouat 'incredibly proud' of Team GB despite silver 'sting'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Team GB's pride at winning back-to-back men's curling silver medals could not mask the overriding feeling of their disappointment, having fallen short in a 9-6 final defeat to Canada on Saturday.

And team skip Bruce Mouat was keeping his composure as he spoke to TNT Sports about the delicate balance between the two emotions, until interviewer Laura Robson set him off with a heartwarming gift.

Throughout the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Mouat had made known to Robson his love for a piece of clothing she had purchased from a shop in Cortina, a cream-coloured zip fleece with sewn-on curling patches.

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And Robson - the former British tennis No. 1 and TNT Sports expert - had told the Team GB skip the fleece was his, so long as his team won the gold medal.

However, after their admirable effort, and in light of the difficult emotions his team were going through, Robson passed the fleece to Mouat in his post-match interview, and the emotions he had been quelling came to the fore.

Mouat - who narrowly missed a medal in the mixed doubles alongside Jen Dodds prior to the men's run - said the feeling of pride superseded the disappointment his team was feeling.

"I’m just incredibly proud of the boys, of Jen, everyone who’s been involved in our team," Mouat told TNT Sports.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"It’s been a very tough year to get back here, there was a few things going on, but just incredibly proud of how we battled through and it’s going to sting for a while.

"But we’re two-time Olympic medallists. How many people can say that? The overriding emotion is pride right now."

Mouat also spoke about the positive curling climate in the UK, and said he and his team - Grant Hardie, Hammy McMillan Jr and Bobby Lammie - face competition from within to make it to the next Olympic Games.

"There’s so much work that goes into it," Mouat said. "We’re not just competing against all these other nations, we’re competing against internal competition as well.

"So it’s exciting to see Great Britain is in a really good spot in terms of curling. We’re consistent when we get to the Olympics and worlds, and it’s special that our sport gets such a platform."

A run of three consecutive defeats during the round-robin stage cast doubts over Team GB's entry to the semi-finals, and their spot was only secured when Italy suffered defeat to Switzerland with the Brits having already played all nine of their matches.

Team GB had largely looked the better side in the final, but a decisive ninth end saw Canada score three through Marc Kennedy. That was ultimately the killer blow for GB, who could not make a meaningful contribution with the hammer to cut into the deficit in the final end.

Hardie said he was "trying to hold it together" following the disappointment of not being able to go one better than the silver medal won in Beijing.

"We’ve had four years of hurt, dreaming of this moment to get back and get another chance to change it and get a gold and to not quite deliver that is really rough to accept," Hardie said.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"But really proud of how we performed today. Think it was one of our best games of the week actually, and unfortunately one bad end cost us.

"Not just four years - it’s eight, nine years we’ve been together. It’s been one goal, and amazing to be on the journey with these guys.

"It’s been a hell of a ride for us, it hasn’t quite come off today, but really proud of how we stuck in and gave ourselves a chance."

Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.

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