LIVERPOOL, N.S. — Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant cleared a big hurdle Saturday in their quest to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The husband-and-wife team defeated Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher 8-7 to win the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool, N.S.
The victory gave the duo a berth in the April 26-May 3 world championship in Fredericton, which will serve as the main qualifier for the Milan Games.
“We’ve dreamt of this for a long time,” said Peterman. “In a sense it feels like it's kind of the first step. We know we still have to earn that spot in a few months, but yeah it's amazing."
The win capped a perfect run of 10 straight wins at the competition.
“We had some really, really close games early and we were very determined this week," Peterman said. "Just very proud of the week as a whole."
The two-time national mixed doubles champions opened with a tap for three points and led 6-1 after four ends. Peterman made a double-takeout in the fifth to limit their opponents to a deuce.
Gallant and Peterman scored two points in the sixth end to restore the five-point lead. Homan and Bottcher had a deuce in the seventh and were held to two points in the eighth as Peterman made an open hit for the win.
“We knew it was going to come down to the last shot either way," Gallant said. "I’m just thankful that we had a strong game, we battled all the way."
Earlier in the day, Bottcher and Homan reached the final with an 8-6 semifinal win over John Epping and Lisa Weagle.
Canada's John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes won gold when mixed doubles made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Homan and Morris missed the playoffs at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2025.
The Canadian Press
