The first four matches of the men's curling tournament have begun at the National Aquatic Centre.

The 10 competing countries play each other once in a round robin format, with the top four sides qualifying for the semi-finals.

Defending champions the United States are among the teams in action today against the Russian Olympic Committee, while 2018 silver medallists Sweden face China.

Switzerland, bronze medal winners four years' ago, take on Norway and Denmark play Canada.

Team GB's men's and women's teams begin their tournament on Thursday.

Wilf O’Reilly
Former British short track speed skater on BBC TV

"Choi Minjeong made it look so easy, she'll probably be the biggest contender to Suzanne Schulting."

Minjeong set an Olympic record in heat one, Schulting broke it in heat two and the fall suffered by Boutin in that last heat paves is a significant exit. She literally fell with around 15ft to go.

Simon Brotherton
Commentator on BBC TV

"Boutin had the race in the bag and she dropped the ball at the end. Suddenly it all came undone for Kim Boutin. She can't believe it and neither can anyone else."

Simon Brotherton reacts as Canada's Kim Boutin falls while leading at the final bend of her women's 1000m heat. She looks absolutely distraught.

Just tuning in? Great Britain has a place in a a short-track speed skating semi-final.

That's coming up shortly and this is how Farrell Treacy qualified a few moments ago.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Scotland in Beijing

Defending champion Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands has just wow-ed the crowd here at the Capital Indoor Stadium with a new Olympic record of 1:27.292.

A statement of intent.

Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands sets an Olympic record in the second heat of the women's 1000m. The OR was only just broken in the first heat.

Schulting goes 1:27.29.

Schulting who won Netherlands first Olympic gold in the sport in 2018 in this event.

At last year’s World Championships, the skater from Groningen did a clean sweep of all four women’s events – 500m, 1000m, 1500m and the relay. It was a weakened field because the absentees included South Korea and China but Schulting repeated the feat at a World Cup event in November, this time against many of the world’s best.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Scotland in Beijing

Kathryn Thomson's wait to make it through an Olympic heat goes on, but she can be proud of her efforts there.

No fall this time, and she's had some journey to get to the start line in the last year.

The 1500m has been her best event this season too and she has that to come.

With three laps to go a gap opens up and Kathryn Thomson slides a little adrift, she's out of this with a couple of laps remaining.

That will end Great Britain's interest in this event. It was a loaded heat and it's won in an Olympic record of 1:28.05, set by South Korea's Choi Minjeong.

Kathryn Thomson needs to be in the top two and she's currently fourth with five laps to go. She's in it but with work to do.

To the ice...

Kathryn Thomson over 1000m...

Scottish speed skater Kathryn Thomson begins the latest stage of a long Olympic journey when she competes in the women's 1000m heats (from 11:44 BST).

Having lost her funding for virtually the whole Olympic cycle, the 26-year-old had to take a year out when the Covid pandemic hit, moved in with her parents and worked in a Dunelm furniture shop to try to piece together the money to keep going in the sport.

"Knowing that I've [not only] worked hard on my athlete side of things to be here but also worked hard to fund being here makes it so much more special and important that I've made it," Thomson says. "I'm very proud of myself."

Read more on Kathryn Thomson here

Image source, Getty Images

The women's 1000m heats are underway shortly. Great Britain will be represented. More on that next...

Ollie Williams
Commentator on BBC TV

These athletes have barely skied, it's brand new.

The conditions are horrible, it's at such altitude.

Vinzenz Geiger could not have done that any better even if he tried.

So hard to describe how punishing that 10km will have been.

Gold medallist Vinzenz Geiger started the cross-country round of the Nordic combined one minute and 26 seconds after leader Ryota Yamamoto.

He set off 48 seconds after bronze medallist Lukas Greiderer and 43 seconds after Johannes Rydzek, who together led the race for so long.

But he surged away in those final stages in hugely impressive fashion.

Image source, Getty Images

Ollie Williams
Commentator on BBC TV

A stunning finish!

Rydzek will get nothing having looked as though he was going to become one of the greatest in history.

He gave everything to that race and it found him out.

So there you go, Great Britain will be represented in the semi-finals of the men's 1500m.

You can catch them from 12:29 GMT.

Farrell Treacy is home in third. He held off the Russia Olympic Committee athlete and gets himself through.

Two laps to go, Farrell Treacy holding on for third and that's the final qualification spot, he's under the pump here....

To quarter-final six and Great Britain's Farrell Treacy moves into first spot with eight laps to go...