Team China

Bingo for Bingyu as Canada's winning run ends

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-02-22 15:34

VANCOUVER: China's women curlers handed Canada their first loss of the Olympics on Sunday after home captain Cheryl Bernard failed to make what had become one of her trademark game-saving shots.

Bingo for Bingyu as Canada's winning run ends

Chinese women curlers smile after beating their Canadian opponents during their women's round robin curling game against Canada at the Vancouver 2010 Winter on Feburary 21. [Agencies]

China, the world champions, pulled ahead early in the game, but allowed the Canadians to battle back before winning it 6-5 in an extra end.

Chinese skip Bingyu Wang was unable to speak to reporters after the win as she had lost her voice yelling to her team mates over the noisy Vancouver Olympic Centre crowd.

Her coach, Canadian Dan Rafael, was guarded in his praise. He said the early success helped mask some late mistakes. China are now 5-2 in the tournament.

"I keep telling them they are like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In the first five ends, I don't think anybody was going to beat us, and then in the sixth and seventh we gave away five points," Raphael said.

Canada's record is now 5-1. The Canadian men are unbeaten in seven.