2022 Olympians Tahli Gill (QAS) and Dean Hewitt (VIS) have fallen just sort at the Curling Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) in Kelowna, Canada, to decide the final two places for the Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy, finish in third place.
The 2025 World Championship bronze medallists opened the OQE in great form winning their opening four matches in Group B against France (5 to 4), Hungary (9 to 6), Spain (9 to 4) and New Zealand (8 to 4).
In the fifth game, they narrowly lost to The Netherlands 7 to 6, but rebounded to defeat Denmark (8 to 7) and defeated Chine in what could have been an elimination game for Australia 6 to 5 in a high-pressure win.
The win against China gave them top place in the Group B standings with six wins and one loss from seven games, advancing them to the playoffs which featured the top two team in each of the two groups.
Australia faced Group A winner the Czech Republic in the first playoff match for the ninth Olympic nation spot, but lost 6 to 5, placing them in the final match of the tournament for the tenth Olympic nation spot against Korea.
In the final game, both teams opened with a point in the first two ends.
Australia unfortunately did not score in the third end when they had the final hammer throw giving the Koreans a steal of two and the early advantage 3 to 1.
In the fourth end, Gill played a draw to the button, nudging out a Korean stone as she did so to score two points and level the game at 3-3.
In the fifth end, Korea’s Kim Seon-Yeong made a draw around front guards and scored three points to give her team a decisive 6-3 lead.
Australia reduced Korea’s lead to 6-5 with a draw for two in the sixth end, but a draw for one by Korea in the seventh extended their lead to 7-5.
Heading into the final end, Australia had no choice but to take risks and unfortunately gave up a steal of 3 points to make the final score 10 to 5, ending their Olympic dream.
The Australian duo can hold their heads high with their efforts over the past year and the entire quadrennial, which included becoming Australia’s first ever Curling World Championship medallists.
Tahli and Dean in action in Kelowna
© Chris Hocking
The 2025 World Championship bronze medallists opened the OQE in great form winning their opening four matches in Group B against France (5 to 4), Hungary (9 to 6), Spain (9 to 4) and New Zealand (8 to 4).
In the fifth game, they narrowly lost to The Netherlands 7 to 6, but rebounded to defeat Denmark (8 to 7) and defeated Chine in what could have been an elimination game for Australia 6 to 5 in a high-pressure win.
The win against China gave them top place in the Group B standings with six wins and one loss from seven games, advancing them to the playoffs which featured the top two team in each of the two groups.
Australia faced Group A winner the Czech Republic in the first playoff match for the ninth Olympic nation spot, but lost 6 to 5, placing them in the final match of the tournament for the tenth Olympic nation spot against Korea.
In the final game, both teams opened with a point in the first two ends.
Australia unfortunately did not score in the third end when they had the final hammer throw giving the Koreans a steal of two and the early advantage 3 to 1.
In the fourth end, Gill played a draw to the button, nudging out a Korean stone as she did so to score two points and level the game at 3-3.
In the fifth end, Korea’s Kim Seon-Yeong made a draw around front guards and scored three points to give her team a decisive 6-3 lead.
Australia reduced Korea’s lead to 6-5 with a draw for two in the sixth end, but a draw for one by Korea in the seventh extended their lead to 7-5.
Heading into the final end, Australia had no choice but to take risks and unfortunately gave up a steal of 3 points to make the final score 10 to 5, ending their Olympic dream.
The Australian duo can hold their heads high with their efforts over the past year and the entire quadrennial, which included becoming Australia’s first ever Curling World Championship medallists.
Tahli and Dean in action in Kelowna
© Chris Hocking
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