US Curling Team Reaches First Olympic Mixed Doubles Final

Cory Thiesse's clutch final shot sends Team USA to gold medal match against Sweden

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The U.S. mixed doubles curling team of Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse secured the country's first-ever Olympic medal in the event with a dramatic 9-8 victory over the host Italian team in the semifinals. Thiesse, from Duluth, Minnesota, delivered the game-winning shot in the eighth end to punch the Americans' ticket to the gold medal match against Sweden on Tuesday.

Why it matters

Curling has long been a niche sport in the U.S., with the mixed doubles event only being added to the Winter Olympics in 2018. This historic run by the American team represents a major breakthrough for the sport's popularity and growth in the country.

The details

Dropkin and Thiesse, both competing in their first Olympics, overcame a late surge by the Italian duo to secure the narrow victory. Thiesse's final shot in the eighth end was a clutch performance, allowing the U.S. to score two points and take the lead. In the gold medal match, the Americans will face off against the Swedish brother-sister team of Isabella and Rasmus Wrana, who defeated the British pair in the other semifinal.

  • The semifinal match took place on Monday, February 10, 2026.
  • The gold medal match is scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Korey Dropkin

A curler from Massachusetts competing in his first Olympics.

Cory Thiesse

A curler from Duluth, Minnesota, who becomes the first woman to win an Olympic medal for the U.S. in the mixed doubles event.

Isabella Wrana

One half of the Swedish brother-sister curling team that will face the U.S. in the gold medal match.

Rasmus Wrana

The other half of the Swedish brother-sister curling team that will face the U.S. in the gold medal match.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This historic run by the American mixed doubles curling team represents a major breakthrough for the sport's popularity and growth in the United States, a country that has traditionally struggled to find success in the event at the Olympic level.