Let the Games begin.
Though the Opening Ceremony doesn't take place until Friday, Olympic competition starts in Beijing on Wednesday with the first draw of the mixed doubles curling competition.
Don’t miss a game with our Olympic schedule! We start this Wednesday at 8:00PM ET against Great Britain. We have 9 games in the road robin and a tripleheader next Monday! We can’t wait to hear your cheers all the way to #Beijing2022. Thank you for the support. #curling pic.twitter.com/O2PPCOx4t7
— Team Homan / Morris (@TeamHomanMorris) January 31, 2022
Canada's Rachel Homan and John Morris get a bye in the first draw (Wednesday at 7:05 a.m. ET / 4:05 a.m. PT), but some familiar names will hit the ice.
Switzerland's Jenny Perret and Martin Rios settled for silver in 2018 in Pyeongchang after losing the final against Canada's Kaitlyn Lawes and Morris in the event's debut. The Swiss duo takes on China's Fan Suyuan and Ling Zhi in the opening draw.
The only other returning team is Norway's Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten, who finished third in 2018 after a positive doping test for bronze medal-winning Russia. They face the Czech Republic in their opener.
The United States faces Australia and Sweden meets Great Britain in the other two games of the opening draw.
Australia's Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt are the first players from their country to compete in curling at the Olympics. They've been based out of Alberta since the fall and list Morris as their coach.
Rach and I arrived to #Beijing2022 and we got to check out the venue today. Can’t wait to get going in 2 days! pic.twitter.com/9ntaq4cWjO
— John Morris (@johnnymocurler) February 1, 2022
Homan makes her second Olympic appearance after finishing out of the medals while skipping for her women's team in 2018. Morris is back for a third time after earning gold on Kevin Martin's team in 2010 and another first-place finish in the mixed in 2018.
The Ottawa natives have been mixed doubles partners since 2015.
Homan and Morris open the competition on Thursday in Beijing (Wednesday at 8:05 p.m. ET / 5:05 p.m. PT) against Great Britain.
Childhood friends
World Champions
What's next for Jen Dodds and @BruceMouat as they prepare for #Beijing2022?— Team GB (@TeamGB) January 13, 2022
The British team of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat captured the 2021 world mixed doubles championship. Mouat also earned silver at the world men's championship and won two Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling titles last year.
Curling Canada selected Homan and Morris to represent the country after the Olympic Trials were cancelled because of COVID-19 in late December.
Ten teams will battle for spots in the gold medal game on Feb. 8.
