China's curlers clean up to book Games berth

PRAGUE - The Chinese women's curling team booked its place at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in emphatic fashion at a qualification event on Saturday.

China, captained by 2009 world champion Wang Bingyu, secured its berth by beating Italy 11-4 in the Czech city of Pilsen.

Italy still had a chance to earn a place at the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea when it faces Denmark, which finished third overall in the round robin, in Sunday's second qualification game, the winner of which joins the nine teams that have already qualified.