Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy — Team USA came within one stone of Olympic curling history at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but a dramatic final end saw Americans Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin settle for a hard-earned silver medal in mixed doubles after a razor-thin 6–5 loss to Sweden on Tuesday night.
Eight years after John Shuster’s miracle run delivered the United States its first-ever Olympic curling gold in PyeongChang, the Americans once again found themselves on the brink of the sport’s highest honor. This time, however, the final stone fell Sweden’s way.
Still, the silver medal represents a historic achievement for U.S. curling—and a breakthrough moment for women in the sport.
A Final Decided by Inches, Pressure, and One Missed Opportunity
From the opening end, the gold medal match unfolded as a tense, back-and-forth chess match on ice. Facing Sweden’s elite brother-sister duo Rasmus and Isabella Wranå, the Americans traded precise draws, aggressive takeouts, and momentum swings that kept the crowd on edge until the very last shot.
The turning point came in the seventh end, when Team USA deployed its power play hoping to create a two-point cushion. Instead, disaster nearly struck.
With the Americans trailing 4–3, Thiesse’s first stone slid completely past the house—an uncharacteristic miss at the most critical moment of the match. Suddenly, the gold medal hopes looked like they might slip away.
But champions respond under pressure.
Knowing Sweden would have the hammer in the final end, Dropkin delivered a clutch fourth stone, blasting away Sweden’s scoring threat and flipping the entire end. That single throw opened the door for Thiesse to calmly convert, giving Team USA a 5–4 lead and shifting all the pressure back onto Sweden.
One Stone Too Firm Ends Team USA’s Gold Medal Dream
The eighth and final end proved cruel.
With gold hanging in the balance, Dropkin’s fourth throw came out just a touch too firm, sliding through the house without removing Sweden’s guards. Moments later, Thiesse’s final stone failed to fully clear the scoring area—leaving a routine takeout for Isabella Wranå.
She didn’t miss.
The Swedish skip calmly delivered the winning shot, sealing a 6–5 victory and Olympic gold for Sweden, while the Americans watched their gold medal hopes disappear by inches.
“I’m So Darn Proud of Us”: Team USA Reflects on Silver
Despite the heartbreak, Dropkin struck a tone of pride and perspective afterward.
“Obviously would have loved to come home with a gold medal, but Sweden earned that,” Dropkin said. “I’m so darn proud of us.”
Team USA entered the knockout rounds after finishing third in the round-robin at 6–3, then survived a thrilling 9–8 semifinal win over Italy to guarantee a medal. They were unexpectedly thrust into the favorite’s role when Sweden stunned powerhouse Great Britain in the other semifinal—but the Americans couldn’t quite find their best form in the final.
A Milestone Moment for U.S. Curling—and Women’s Sports
While the loss stung, the silver medal carries historic weight.
It marks only the third Olympic curling medal in U.S. history, joining:
- Men’s bronze (2006)
- Team Shuster’s unforgettable gold (2018)
Even more significant, Cory Thiesse becomes the first American woman ever to win an Olympic curling medal.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Thiesse said. “I’m really proud and honored to be standing up there and to use this to move women’s curling in the U.S. forward.”
Her words underscored what this moment represents beyond the scoreboard: visibility, momentum, and opportunity for the next generation of American curlers.
Silver Today, Foundation for the Future
The 2026 Winter Olympics may not have delivered a second curling gold for Team USA, but they delivered something nearly as valuable—a proof of progress.
Thiesse and Dropkin showed that American mixed doubles curling belongs on the sport’s biggest stage. They battled the world’s best, absorbed pressure, responded to mistakes, and came within one stone of Olympic immortality.
Silver may not have been the dream—but it could be the spark that pushes U.S. curling, and women’s curling in particular, toward an even brighter Olympic future.
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