At the 2026 Winter Olympics, the United States made a splash in the sport of curling. The mixed doubles pair of Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse upset Italy to move on to the finals.
However, their magical ride came to an end on Tuesday. A pair of siblings from Sweden, Isabella and Rasmus Wranå, won the gold, per ESPN/Associated Press.
In the end, Isabella Wranå capped things off with the winning stone that knocked the American's red stone out for a 6-5 win.
“It's a perfect shot for me to have, a takeout,” Isabella Wranå said. “But of course you're nervous. It's the last shot and you know if you make it, it's an Olympic gold. But I felt like we kept the calm. We talked about how we're going to throw it and I knew that I had a really strong sweeper.”
The historical context of the Americans medaling in curling
Nevertheless, the Americans made curling history at these Olympics. Both Dropkin and Thiesse became the first Americans to medal in the sport. At the same time, Thiesse became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in curling.
“It's been a long time coming, and this is a really big day for USA Curling and for women's curling in the U.S.” Thiesse said.
“I hope that I can bring this medal home and inspire the next generation of women to be up on that podium someday”.
Their coach, Aliso Kreviazuk, praised them for their preparation and discipline.
“They've got two different personalities out there, so it's finding that mix of how they can complement each other,” Kreviazuk said.
“Figuring out how to talk with each other, I think that they've really, really nailed it over the past couple years, and it's showcased.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics will run until Feb. 22.
