China's Jinqiao Yang and Meng Wang claimed the inaugural wheelchair curling mixed doubles gold with a 9-7 extra-end victory over South Korea on March 11, 2026, at the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics. Latvia earned bronze—and its first Winter Paralympic medal—with an 11-10 extra-end win over the United States at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Italy.
The mixed doubles wheelchair curling competition debuted at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, with thrilling finals on Day 5, March 11. China topped the round-robin standings at 6-1, ahead of South Korea, the United States, and Latvia (all 4-3). Semifinals saw China beat Latvia 8-3 and South Korea defeat the U.S. 6-3.
In the gold medal final, China's Jinqiao Yang (24, Paralympic debut) and Meng Wang (2018 PyeongChang mixed team gold medalist) faced South Korea's world No. 1 duo, Hyejin Baek and Yongsuk Lee. China surged to a 3-0 first-end lead, extending it to 7-3 by the seventh. South Korea rallied with three points in the seventh (7-6) and stole one in the eighth to tie 7-7, forcing an extra end. Baek's final draw missed wide and heavy, allowing China two points without their last stone for a 9-7 win—marking China's 10th gold at the Games and ending South Korea's 16-year podium drought since Vancouver 2010.
Wang said: "Extremely happy, incredibly joyful. Both of us were fighting hard on the ice. The first half went well, but after they caught up in the second half, I did feel a bit nervous—right up until the final moment." Yang added: "I only dared to think about it (the gold medal) once I knew I had won it."
The bronze match featured Latvia's Polina Rozkova and Agris Lasmans against the U.S.'s Steve Emt (12-year veteran from Wisconsin) and Laura Dwyer (Paralympic debut). The U.S. led 4-0 after the first end, but Latvia scored five in the second for a 5-4 edge. The Americans reclaimed the lead at 9-7 with four in the sixth, but Latvia tied at 10-10, then stole the extra end for 11-10—the Baltic nation's first Winter Paralympic medal.
Emt reflected: "It was a great exhibition, both games going to extra ends. We were putting a show on for everyone around the world." Dwyer noted the atmosphere: "They cheered and it was pumping me up. That energy, you could feel it." Rozkova emphasized: "Team USA showed a really good performance. And we said, 'No, no, we are not ready to give up.'" Emt and Dwyer plan to continue their partnership through 2030.
Both finals unfolded before a lively crowd at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, highlighting the new discipline's excitement.
