Team USA Wins First-Ever Mixed Doubles Curling Medal

American curlers Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse take home silver at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The United States made history on Tuesday, February 10, as curlers Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse helped propel Team USA to the gold medal match in the first-ever Olympic mixed doubles curling event. While they ultimately fell to Sweden 6-5 in a nail-biting final, the American duo secured the silver medal, marking the first Olympic curling medal for the U.S. in this discipline.

Why it matters

Curling has traditionally been a niche sport in the United States, with limited participation and visibility. The mixed doubles event, making its Olympic debut in 2022, represents a new frontier for the sport, and Team USA's success helps raise the profile of curling and could inspire more Americans to take up the game.

The details

Dropkin and Thiesse, who have been friends since college at the University of Minnesota Duluth, teamed up for the mixed doubles event after Dropkin asked Thiesse to be his partner. Their pre-existing chemistry and training together paid off as they navigated the tournament, eventually reaching the gold medal match against the experienced Swedish duo.

  • The mixed doubles curling event took place on February 10, 2026 at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
  • Dropkin and Thiesse's silver medal performance marked the first Olympic curling medal for the United States in this discipline.

The players

Korey Dropkin

An American curler who teamed up with Cory Thiesse to compete in the mixed doubles event at the Milan Cortina Olympics, where they won the silver medal.

Cory Thiesse

An American curler who, along with Korey Dropkin, won the silver medal in the mixed doubles event at the Milan Cortina Olympics, becoming the first American woman to earn an Olympic curling medal.

Isabella Wranå

A Swedish curler who made the game-winning shot to deliver the gold medal for Sweden in the mixed doubles final against Team USA.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This week's been a dream. Just had a blast playing with Corey [Thiesse].”

— Korey Dropkin (NBC)

“We had an amazing week. Man, we're on the podium. We're Olympic silver medalists.”

— Korey Dropkin (NBC)

“I had admired Korey as a person and a curler. I thought it was a little funny that he wanted to go to dinner just the two of us… The funny thing is that for years and years, her mom, Linda, had been sort of a birdie in my ear… saying, you know, you and my Corey would make really good teammates together.”

— Cory Thiesse (TIME)

What’s next

Thiesse will now join the U.S. women's curling team for the team event, giving her another chance at an Olympic medal.

The takeaway

Team USA's historic mixed doubles curling medal, the first for the country in this discipline, represents a significant milestone for the sport's growth and popularity in the United States. Dropkin and Thiesse's success could inspire more Americans to take up curling and help elevate the profile of the sport nationwide.