History was made at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on February 10, 2026, as Swedish siblings Isabella and Rasmus Wranå clinched Sweden’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles curling, edging out the United States duo of Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse in a dramatic 6–5 final. The atmosphere was electric, the stakes sky-high, and the curling nothing short of world-class as two nations battled for a place in the record books.
For the Wranå siblings, this victory wasn’t just about adding another medal to Sweden’s already impressive curling haul—it was a personal and national milestone. Isabella, 28, was making her Olympic debut, while her 25-year-old brother Rasmus brought previous Olympic experience, having won gold with Sweden’s men’s team in 2022 and silver in 2018. Their journey to the top of the podium was anything but straightforward, marked by adversity, resilience, and a touch of sibling magic.
The road to gold began with a challenging round-robin phase. Sweden finished fourth with a 5–4 record, teetering on the edge of elimination after dropping three consecutive games. But as Isabella put it, “Mixed doubles, anything can happen.” And indeed, anything did. The siblings regrouped, found their rhythm, and stormed into the semifinals, where they delivered a commanding 9–3 victory over the favored British pair of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat. That win not only avenged an earlier round-robin defeat but also set up a tantalizing rematch with the Americans, who had bested the reigning Olympic champions Italy in their own nail-biter semifinal.
“It’s cool to be able to play and write Swedish sports history together with my brother,” Isabella reflected before the final. “If we had known this when we started curling—that we would play in the Olympics together—I think we would have been proud, and we are now too.” Her words proved prophetic as the siblings prepared to face Dropkin and Thiesse, themselves first-time Olympians but already making waves. Thiesse, from Duluth, Minnesota, became the first American woman to win an Olympic curling medal, and the pair had guaranteed the U.S. its first-ever mixed doubles Olympic medal with their 9–8 semifinal win over Italy.
The gold medal match itself was a tactical chess match on ice, with both teams displaying nerves of steel and shot-making precision. Early on, Isabella’s pinpoint accuracy set the tone—her shot for two points in the second end put Sweden ahead and forced the Americans to play catch-up. Through five ends, that deuce was the only multi-point score, a testament to the defensive prowess and strategic acumen on both sides.
In the sixth end, Sweden deployed its ‘power play’—a mixed doubles innovation allowing teams to pre-position stones for a strategic advantage—but the Americans held firm, limiting the Swedes to just one point. The seventh end saw the U.S. regain the lead, with Thiesse and Dropkin putting Sweden in a precarious position. But Isabella’s nerves didn’t falter; she knocked out two American stones with her final shot, keeping the contest razor-close.
The final end was a microcosm of the entire tournament: tense, unpredictable, and decided by the thinnest of margins. Both Rasmus and Dropkin missed opportunities, leaving the door open for a dramatic finish. Thiesse’s last throw bumped out the closest Swedish stone, giving the U.S. a glimmer of hope. Yet, with everything on the line, Isabella delivered once more—her walk-off hit for two points sealed the 6–5 victory and sent Swedish fans into raptures.
Isabella’s performance was nothing short of sensational. She was rated at 97% accuracy for her 16 shots in the final, a statistic that speaks volumes about her composure and skill under pressure. “They seemed to be a little bit sharper than we were today, but we’re not going to let that game take away from the week that we had,” Thiesse said in a postgame interview with NBC. “We’re so proud of the way we played this week and battled in that last game. They’re a great team, and props to them. We’re very excited to walk away with the silver medal, for sure.”
For the Americans, the silver medal was historic in its own right. It marked the first time an American Olympic curling team had won silver, adding to a growing legacy that includes a gold in 2018 and a bronze in 2006. “We had an amazing week and we’re on the podium, we’re Olympic silver medalists. A lot to smile about. There’s tears of joy and a little bit of sadness, but lots of joy. Just a blessing, this week’s been,” Dropkin said after the match.
The Wranå siblings’ triumph capped a remarkable journey that began with their 2024 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship win on home ice in Östersund, Sweden. That victory set expectations high heading into the Olympics, and the siblings delivered when it mattered most. Rasmus, reflecting on their preparation, told the Swedish Herald, “Just the right amount of competition and training. We’ve managed to get many opportunities to train with each other.”
The Olympic curling stones themselves played a part in the drama. Crafted from granite sourced from Ailsa Craig off the coast of Scotland and weighing nearly 20 kilograms, the stones are a symbol of the sport’s tradition and precision. “The stones we will play with are brand new,” Rasmus noted before the tournament. “But they will probably be of a very good standard.”
Beyond the medals and the scoreline, this Olympic final was a celebration of curling’s evolution and its growing global appeal. Mixed doubles, introduced to the Olympics in 2018, has quickly become a showcase for strategy, athleticism, and, as the Wranås proved, family bonds. Sweden’s gold is not just a personal achievement for Isabella and Rasmus but a testament to the country’s enduring curling excellence—building on the successes of teams led by Niklas Edin and Anna Hasselborg, both of whom have left indelible marks on the sport.
As the ice was cleared and the medals awarded, the Wranå siblings embraced, their Olympic dream realized. For Isabella, the journey continues—she will soon make her debut at the world championships as skip of the No. 2-ranked Swedish women’s team. Rasmus, too, isn’t done, as he prepares to compete in the men’s curling tournament with Team Edin.
In Cortina d’Ampezzo, the echoes of “Sverige!” and “U-S-A!” will linger long after the stones have stopped sliding. But for now, the story belongs to Isabella and Rasmus Wranå—siblings, champions, and the newest golden faces of Swedish curling.