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China wins first-ever team medal at Olympic Winter Games

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China's Wang Bingyu, Liu Yin, Yue Qingshuang and Zhou Yan (from L to R) celebrate with the national flag after the women's curling bronze medal match against Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 26, 2010. China won the bronze medal after defeating Switzerland 12-6. Xinhua/Chen Xiaowei]

The Chinese women curlers awarded China its first ever team medal in the winter Olympic history, overwhelming Switzerland 12-6 to win the curling bronze medal at the Vancouver Olympics in Vancouver Friday.

Switzerland, the two-time silver medallist at the 2006 Turin and the 2002 Salt Lake Games, was stopped from reaping the medal for three consecutive Games.

"I am very proud of my team. It's our first Olympic experience and we won a bronze medal," said Chinese skip Wang Bingyu.

"We have been together for 10 years, not very long. So we have to thank our family and curling fans in China. A lot of people have shown such generosity and kindness, and we were glad to be able to award them with our performance," second Yue Qingshuang said of the medal.

China's Liu Yin (C) throws the stone during the women's curling bronze medal match with Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 26, 2010. [Xinhua/Yang Lei]

China's coach Daniel Rafael of Canada said that "we can beat any teams if we play the game like today. This is real style of the Chinese women team."

China got a flying start when they took three points, which is the biggest lead in the first end they had in the tournament. They continued to lead at 5-1 in the first three ends.

Switzerland, skipped by experienced Mirjam Ott, fought back to make it 5-4 in the fourth and tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth after a splendid double by third Carmen Schaefer.

The seventh end saw the Chinese regained the lead when skip Wang had an easy open hit for a deuce.

Ott missed a narrow takeout attempt against three Chinese counters in the eighth, leaving Wang adding a fourth.

China's Wang Bingyu, Yue Qingshuang, Zhou Yan and Liu Yin (from L to R) hug to celebrate after the women's curling bronze medal match with Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 26, 2010. [Xinhua/Chen Xiaowei]

The 38-year-old Ott made a big mistake by performing a severe under-threw draw to the button. China stole four points and sealed the match at 12-6 with two ends to go before the Swiss shook hands with their opponents.

"We made a big mistake in the first and allowed three against us. China played well from the start. They had a few misses in between but they fought back," said Ott, "It's hard. Every athlete wants to win a medal and at this moment, we're disappointed."

China's Zhou Yan, Yue Qingshuang, Wang Bingyu and Liu Yin react after the women's curling bronze medal match with Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 26, 2010. [Xinhua/Chen Xiaowei]

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