At the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, the Japanese curling team Fortius faced a disappointing exit from the preliminary round after suffering a defeat to Italy, concluding the group stage with a record of one win and six losses. The atmosphere was filled with celebration for the local Italian team, while Fortius accepted their loss with composure. The match highlighted moments of high-level technical skills despite the challenging circumstances they faced on the ice.

A pivotal moment during the match came at the fifth end when, after conceding three points, Fortius's skip, Sayaka Yoshimura, successfully executed a challenging shot to dislodge only the opponent's stone, pulling the score back to 4-1. Despite demonstrating strong technical skills, the second half of the match did not go in their favor, as they struggled to generate scoring opportunities despite the advantageous last stone throw in multiple ends. In the final end with a tie at 6-6, Italy's skillful last stone throw resulted in two missed points for Fortius, sealing their fate in the tournament.

Yoshimura reflected on the experience, acknowledging that the outcome did not meet their aspirations but emphasized that their ambition to achieve a gold medal at the Olympics was the driving force behind their participation. She vowed to give their all in the remaining two matches, showcasing the team's determination and skill at the highest level of competitive curling.