By The Athletic Staff
January 28, 2022Updated 3:04 PM EST
Curling will be in the spotlight during the Beijing Games as American skip John Shuster looks to defend his rink’s gold medal.
After a lackluster start to the round robin four years ago in Pyeongchang, Shuster and Co. won three straight games to secure a spot in the playoffs. The Americans went on to upset two-time world champion Kevin Koe of Canada in the semifinals before defeating Sweden’s Niklas Edin in the final to capture the first Olympic curling gold for the U.S.
The Olympic curling events include mixed doubles and the men’s and women’s divisions. Ten countries will compete in each event, with the U.S. qualifying for all three. Tabitha Peterson skips the U.S. women.
The men’s and women’s competitions kick off on Feb. 9. In alternating draws, the men’s and women’s teams will participate in nine-game round robins before the playoffs begin on Feb. 17.
Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys will represent the U.S. in mixed doubles. The round-robin kicks off on Feb. 2 before the playoffs begin on Feb. 7.
All curling events will be played in the Ice Cube — also known as the Beijing National Aquatics Centre.
Here’s what you need to know about the U.S. curling teams that will compete in Beijing:
Teams
Men
Team Shuster
John Shuster
Chris Plys
Matt Hamilton
John Landsteiner
Colin Hufman
Women
Team Peterson
Tabitha Peterson
Nina Roth
Becca Hamilton
Tara Peterson
Aileen Geving
Mixed Doubles
Vicky Persinger
Chris Plys
Schedule and Format:
Mixed Doubles:
Wednesday, Feb. 2
7:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Australia
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Italy
Thursday, Feb. 3
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Norway
Friday, Feb. 4
12:35 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Sweden
Saturday, Feb. 5
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. China
7:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Canada
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Czech Republic
Sunday, Feb. 6
7:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Switzerland
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. Britain
Monday, Feb. 7
7:05 a.m. ET: Mixed doubles semifinals
Tuesday, Feb. 8
1:05 a.m. ET: Mixed doubles bronze medal game
7:05 a.m. ET: Mixed doubles gold medal game
Men’s and Women’s Divisions:
Wednesday, Feb. 9
7:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Russian Olympic Committee (men)
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. ROC (women)
Thursday, Feb. 10
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Sweden (men)
8:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Denmark (women)
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Britain (men)
Saturday, Feb. 12
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. China (women)
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Norway (men)
6:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Britain (women)
6:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Canada (men)
Sunday, Feb. 13
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Sweden (women)
7:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. China (men)
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Republic of Korea (women)
Monday, Feb. 14
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Switzerland (men)
Tuesday, Feb. 15
1:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Switzerland (women)
7:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Italy (men)
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Canada (women)
Wednesday, Feb. 16
7:05 a.m. ET: U.S. vs. Japan (women)
8:05 p.m. ET: U.S. vs. Denmark (men)
Thursday, Feb. 17
7:05 a.m. ET: Men’s semifinals
Friday, Feb. 18
1:05 a.m. ET: Men’s bronze medal game
7:05 a.m. ET: Women’s semifinals
Saturday, Feb. 19
1:05 a.m. ET: Men’s gold medal game
7:05 a.m. ET: Women’s bronze medal game
8:05 p.m. ET: Women’s gold medal game
Athletes to Watch
John Schuster, U.S.: The skip for Team Schuster heads to Beijing for his fifth Olympic Games. In addition to gold in 2018, he also won bronze at the 2006 Turin Games. He also represented Team USA when it placed 10th in Vancouver in 2010 and when it finished ninth at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Matt Hamilton, U.S.: Hamilton joined Team Schuster in 2014, and the squad captured the U.S. national championship that season. He made his Olympic debut in Pyeongchang. He also competed at the 2018 Games as one-half of a mixed-doubles team with his sister Becca. The sibling duo finished in sixth but rose to popularity for their entertaining presence on the ice.
Tabitha Peterson, U.S.: In her second Olympic appearance, Peterson is taking over for Nina Roth as the skip for the women’s team. She previously served as the squad’s third in Pyeongchang. Peterson and her team won bronze at the 2021 World Women’s Championship in Calgary, and she’s earned a pair of gold medals at the United States women’s championship (2012 and 2020).
Jennifer Jones, Canada: Jones returns to the Olympics after failing to earn a spot in 2018. She led her rink to an 11-0 record in Russia en route to Canada’s first gold in Olympic women’s curling since 1998. It was the first time a women’s team had ever gone undefeated in Olympic competition. At 47, Jones will become Canada’s oldest winter Olympian ever.
(Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
