Team Sweden © WCF / Alina Pavlyuchik
For immediate release: Saturday 7 March
Wetzikon, Switzerland - After a defensive game by both sides, Sweden won the bronze medals at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2020, 5-2, against China in Wetzikon, Switzerland.
The Swedish team, which consists of skip Viljo Petersson-Dahl, vice-skip and lead thrower Kristina Ulander, third Mats-Ola Engborg and second Ronny Persson stole three points in an extra end to claim the victory.
The game opened with two blanked ends by China, until they were forced to a single point in the third end. Sweden then took their turn to blank two ends, and hit for a single point in the sixth end to level the game 1-1.
In the seventh end China opted to draw to an open house for their single point, rather than blanking the end, to take a 2-1 lead heading into the eighth end. Sweden drew to the twelve-foot ring in the eighth end for one point and forced an extra end.
Swedish second, Ronny Persson commented on this decision, "I feel like it's their game plan to take the point which I don't understand because the advantage is with the hammer. I'm a little surprised that they took the point and put us in the driver's seat for the eighth end."
In the extra end, Sweden put the pressure on, sitting two stones on the button ahead of China’s final throw. When China skip, Wang Haitao, over-curled his hit to win, Sweden stole three points and the win, 5-2.
"I'm speechless right now because it's been a long journey", said Persson. "We've been trying to get out of the B-Division since 2015 and the machinery has not been how we've wanted it to be. We came in as an underdog and I'm so pleased at how we handled the situation today. We had the patience to not rush in the game even though there was only one point scored in the game at end six."
The gold medal game between Russia and Canada will take place Saturday afternoon (7 March) at 14:30.
All times are Central European Time (CET) which is one hour (+1) ahead of Universal Coordinated Time (UTC).
Results:
Bronze medal game: China 2-5 Sweden
Standings after the bronze medal game
1.
2.
Sweden - Bronze
China
Norway
Korea
Latvia
Slovakia
Scotland
Estonia > B
Switzerland > B
Czech Republic > B
To engage with the World Curling Federation on social media leading up to the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2020 follow it on Twitter, Instagram (@WorldCurling) and Facebook (@WorldCurlingFederation) and use the hashtags when posting: #WWhCC2020 #curling
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