PyeongChang 2018: Hosts, Canada and Norway in semis

Teams join China in the play-offs for a place in Saturday's final

Woman in wheelchair playing curling with three people in wheelchairs observing

Min-Ja Bang during South Korea's victory over China at the Gangneung Curling Centre

ⒸSimon Bruty for OIS/IOC

The last day of the wheelchair curling round robin competition on Thursday (15 March) saw hosts South Korea, Canada and Norway join China in the semi-finals at the Gangneung Curling Centre.

In search for its first ever medal in the Paralympic Winter Games, China will face Canada while the home team takes on Norway for a place in the final. Both matches take place on Friday (16 March).

Canada qualified to play China after beating Germany 6-2. The German team opened the scoring with a single point steal in the first end before Canada blanked the second end.

In the third end, Canada scored three points when skip Mark Ideson had an open draw into the house with his final stone. Canada then stole a single point in the fourth end for a 4-1 lead at the break.

The teams traded single points over the next two ends, before Canada stole one point in the seventh end, then ran Germany out of stones in the eighth end for the 6-2 win.

South Korea secured the third semi-final place when they defeated Great Britain 5-4. With Great Britain leading 4-2 after five ends, Korea scored a single point in the sixth end to narrow the deficit. Korea then went on to steal a single point in the seventh end to level the scores at 4-4.

In the eighth end, Seung Won Jung drew his second stone to the four-foot, behind a number of guards and into scoring position. Great Britain were unable to remove the stone, giving Korea a steal of one point, the 5-4 win and a place in the semi-finals.

"It was a very tough game," said South Korea's skip Soon Seok Seo. "On his last shot our third did really well, made a really important shot and this is what led to our victory."

Then, to the delight of the home fans, Korea beat China 7-6 in its last round-robin game. The Chinese then continued its momentum for the semi-final with a 9-3 win over Great Britain.

Norway’s secured the last remaining place in the semi-finals with an extra end 7-6 win over Slovakia in afternoon’s session at the Gangneung Curling Centre.

Going into the eighth end Slovakia held a 6-4 lead. In that eighth end, with Norway sitting three shot stones, Slovakia’s fourth player, Dusan Pitonak, was only able to remove one of the Norway counters, giving up a steal of two points and taking the game to an extra end.

The extra end required an umpire’s measure to separate the sides and determine the scoring stone. The result of the measure gave Norway the steal of one point, the 7-6 win and a place in the Paralympic semi-finals.

“We weren't so lucky in the beginning of the tournament, so we got our luck now. A medal is what we want, because I have all the other medals, but none from the Paralympics, so that's my ambition, to get a medal,” said Norway’s skip Rune Lorentsen.

Morning’s sessions: Canada 6-2 Germany, Switzerland 4-6 NPA, USA 4-5 Norway, Great Britain 4-5 Korea.

Afternoon’s sessions: Norway 7-6 Slovakia, Canada 8-4 Finland, NPA 3-7 Sweden, China 6-7 Korea

Evening’s sessions: Sweden 5-3 Switzerland, Finland 4-8 Germany, China 6-3 Great Britain, USA 6-7 Slovakia.

Final round-robin standings (win-loss):

Korea 9-2

Canada 9-2

China 9-2

Norway 7-4

Neutral Paralympic Athletes 5-6

Switzerland 5-6

Great Britain 5-6

Germany 5-6