The journey to Cortina has been quite the challenge, but the USA women’s curling team, led by Tabitha Peterson, is on the brink of making history at the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada. According to The Olympic Games on X, the team wrapped up the round-robin stage in third place with a record of five wins and two losses, which means they’ve secured a chance to go for one of the last two Olympic spots for the 2026 Winter Games.

This crucial spot is all about one match that will decide the fate of the American women’s team in the Winter Olympics. The chance the team has right now really shows their resilience and the experience they’ve gained over the years. So, after clinching their place in the final qualifier by taking home the win at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Sioux Falls, the team tackled a pretty intense round-robin in Kelowna.

They wrapped up their journey with a solid 9-5 win against Germany in their last round-robin match. It was a crucial game that secured their third-place spot and pushed them into the playoff round. The two sisters, Tabitha and Tara Peterson, are back from maternity leave and are putting in the effort to get back to their championship form after a tough world championship in 2025.

The job in front of them is pretty straightforward and huge. The third-place team gets to play in a single-elimination game for that final Olympic spot in the qualification format. Team Peterson is set to face off against the team that loses in the first playoff match, which will be between round-robin winner Norway and runner-up Japan.

The team that wins that second playoff game will grab the tenth and final spot in the women’s curling competition in Cortina. The American team has one shot to secure their spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics, facing tough competition from Europe or Asia. Getting qualified would definitely keep that dream going strong and maintain an amazing streak of participation that goes all the way back to 1998. And the team’s mentality really shows just how ready they are.

USA women’s curling team’s biggest strength

“If we play like we did at the Pan Continental Championships and at the U.S. Olympic Trials (our last two events) we should have success. We are a 10 out of 10 on the confidence scale and we can trust our preparation will help us win. There is a lot of pressure on these events and it won’t be easy, but we have experienced this pressure before so our experience is on our side as well,” Tabitha Peterson mentioned in an interview.

However, she pointed out that they’ve faced this pressure before, so their experience is definitely an advantage. This really highlights the team’s mindset. After guiding her team, which features her sister Tara Peterson, Cory Thiesse, and Taylor Anderson-Heide, to an impressive 5-1 record and a clinching victory at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, the spotlight has shifted to teamwork and the tasks still ahead.

Teammate Taylor Anderson-Heide captured this mindset immediately after their trial victory, stating, “Winning the Olympic Trials feels incredible, and we’re truly proud of the work our team has put in to get here. But we know the job’s not finished yet. We’re excited to carry this momentum into the Olympic Qualifier and keep pushing for that spot on the world’s biggest stage.”

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Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how the team does and if they can reach their goal of qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics.