History was made on the ice at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium as Swedish siblings Isabella and Rasmus Wranå clinched gold in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Their 6-5 triumph over the U.S. duo of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin not only etched their names into Olympic folklore, but also capped a whirlwind journey that saw both teams overcome adversity, seize momentum, and deliver some of the most thrilling moments of the Games.
The Wranå siblings, making their debut as a mixed doubles team at the Olympics, entered the tournament with high expectations, having already dominated the world stage with a victory at the 2024 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship on home ice in Östersund, Sweden. Yet, their Olympic campaign in Cortina d’Ampezzo began on shaky ground. After dropping three consecutive games in the round robin, Swedish media dubbed their performance a “Curlingfiasko.” But the siblings regrouped, tightened their communication, and stormed back to secure a playoff spot with a 5–4 record, finishing fourth in the standings.
“Mixed doubles, anything can happen,” Isabella Wranå remarked after their semifinal win, capturing the unpredictable spirit of the discipline. That mentality served them well as they faced Great Britain’s top-seeded pair of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat in the semifinals. The Wranås delivered a commanding 9–3 victory, dispatching the British favorites in just seven ends and setting up a gold medal showdown with the United States—a rematch of a narrow round-robin loss to the Americans earlier in the week.
For Isabella, 28, this Olympic appearance marked her debut on the world’s biggest stage. “It’s cool to be able to play and write Swedish sports history together with my brother,” she said. “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 poise under pressure was evident throughout the final, where she threw the first and last stones for Sweden, a role demanding both precision and nerves of steel. Rasmus, 25, brought a wealth of Olympic experience, having previously won gold in 2022 and silver in 2018 as part of Sweden’s men’s team under skip Niklas Edin. “Just the right amount of competition and training,” Rasmus credited for their Olympic run. “We’ve managed to get many opportunities to train with each other.”
The Americans, meanwhile, were carving out their own slice of history. Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse, both Olympic debutants, had already made headlines by guaranteeing the U.S. its first-ever Olympic medal in mixed doubles curling with a dramatic 9-8 semifinal win over defending champions Italy. Thiesse, from Duluth, Minnesota, became the first American woman to medal in Olympic curling—a landmark achievement that resonated far beyond the rink. “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. I hope that I can bring this medal home and inspire the next generation of women to be up on that podium someday,” Thiesse told the press.
The gold medal match lived up to its billing, delivering an edge-of-your-seat contest that went down to the final stone. The Americans, buoyed by a raucous pro-U.S. crowd, traded blows with the Swedes in a game defined by strategic power plays, clutch shot-making, and shifting momentum. Through five ends, only Isabella’s two-point shot in the second end stood as a multi-point score, keeping the contest tight and tense. In the sixth, Sweden deployed its power play, but the U.S. defense held firm, limiting them to a single point.
The seventh end saw the Americans regain the lead, forcing Sweden into a precarious position. Yet, Isabella Wranå delivered under pressure, knocking out two American stones with her final shot. Thiesse responded by removing Sweden’s closest stone, giving the U.S. two points and a slim advantage heading into the decisive eighth end. With Olympic gold on the line, both teams faced nerve-wracking shots. Rasmus and Dropkin each faltered slightly, opening the door for drama. Thiesse’s last throw gave the U.S. a glimmer of hope, but left an exposed target for Isabella. The Swede did not miss, executing a textbook takeout to secure the 6-5 victory and Olympic glory.
“It’s a perfect shot for me to have, a takeout,” Isabella said, reflecting on the game-winner. “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.” Her 97% shooting accuracy for the match underscored her composure and skill on the sport’s biggest stage.
For the Americans, the silver medal was bittersweet but historic. “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,” Thiesse said in a postgame interview. Dropkin echoed the sentiment: “Rasmus and Isabella are great, great curlers. They deserved this; they played amazing. I didn’t quite show up as sharp as I needed to, as we needed to. That’s why they came away with the win.” The U.S. now boasts a complete set of Olympic curling medals, adding silver in mixed doubles to gold from 2018 and bronze from 2006.
The Wranå siblings’ journey was marked by more than just technical excellence. Coached by their father Mats Wranå and Alison Kreviazuk, they worked tirelessly to blend their contrasting personalities into a formidable partnership. “They’ve got two different personalities out there, so it’s finding that mix of how they can complement each other,” Kreviazuk observed. “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.” Their ability to communicate and adapt, especially after a rocky start, was key to their Olympic success.
Both teams now look to the future with optimism. Rasmus will join Team Edin in the men’s curling tournament, while Thiesse returns to the ice as third for Tabitha Peterson’s U.S. women’s rink. As the dust settles in Cortina, one thing is clear: the 2026 mixed doubles curling final will be remembered as a classic—a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the magic of Olympic sport.