U.S. Curlers Claim Silver, Poised for Curling Dominance

American duo Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse make history with first U.S. Olympic mixed doubles curling medal.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The United States is on a collision course with worldwide curling domination, according to the author. After Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the author declares that gold medals in men's, women's and mixed doubles curling are soon to follow for Team USA. The author believes the U.S. was "undoubtedly cheated out of gold" by Sweden in the final, but acknowledges it's difficult to hate the Swedes.

Why it matters

Curling has long been an afterthought for many American sports fans, but this silver medal performance by Dropkin and Thiesse marks a turning point. The author sees this as the start of a curling revolution in the U.S., with the sport poised to overtake traditional powerhouses and become one of the most popular winter sports in America.

The details

Dropkin and Thiesse, an unlikely duo of a realtor and a lab technician, defied expectations by reaching the gold medal match. They defeated defending world and Olympic champion Italy in the semifinals with their speed, power, accuracy and game plan. The author believes the American pair "effectively punctures the beer league stereotype" associated with curling, showing the sport requires highly coordinated and athletic competitors.

  • On February 10, 2026, Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
  • The gold medal match, which the U.S. pair lost to Sweden, took place on Tuesday night.

The players

Korey Dropkin

A realtor off the ice but a showman on it, flexing his bicep after clutch plays and egging on the crowd with his manic sweeping.

Cory Thiesse

A steely-eyed, level-headed lab technician who became the first American woman to win a curling medal.

Sweden

The defending world and Olympic champion in mixed doubles curling, who defeated the U.S. pair in the gold medal match.

Italy

The host country's A team, which was defeated by Dropkin and Thiesse in the semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“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 author believes the U.S. curling team's success will lead to a surge in popularity for the sport, with private equity firms and the Saudis investing, and ESPN launching a new "Rock League" to capitalize on the growing interest. The author predicts curling will become one of the most popular sports in the U.S. by the 2034 Olympics in Salt Lake City, where the U.S. will sweep the medals.

The takeaway

This silver medal performance by the American duo marks a turning point for curling in the U.S. The author sees it as the start of a curling revolution, with the U.S. poised to become a dominant force in the sport and challenge traditional powerhouses like Sweden and Italy in the years to come.