Wheelchair curling will make its fifth appearance at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy, with the mixed doubles discipline debuting after four years in the Wheelchair Mixed World Championships. Athletes use a delivery stick from a stationary wheelchair, emphasizing mental accuracy without sweeping. Veteran curler Steve Emt highlights the sport's intense psychological demands.
Wheelchair curling at the Winter Paralympics is a precision-based sport where competitors propel a 42-pound granite stone using a delivery stick while seated in a stationary wheelchair. Unlike able-bodied curling, there is no sweeping to alter the stone's path, placing greater emphasis on the thrower's accuracy. The wheelchair remains fixed during the throw, and athletes could use their hands but prefer the stick for its precision.
Steve Emt, a 56-year-old from Hebron, Connecticut, and a 12-year member of USA Curling, is among the most decorated U.S. wheelchair curlers. Nicknamed 'Soldier' from his basketball background at Army West Point and UConn, Emt describes the sport's demands: “Wheelchair Curling is 99.9% mental. It is. We curl with a stick. There is no physical activity involved. It's mental. I've been on a court with future NBA players for two hours, running up and down, and not drinking water, and I've been on the ice for two hours, not drinking water, and I'm twice as sick when I get off the ice.”
Peter Annis, national director and coach of the U.S. wheelchair program, notes the stick's effectiveness: “They could throw with their hand, but they all use these sticks that are pretty deadly. If you're lined up right, and you throw it, it's like shooting a rifle. It's super accurate.” Strategy differs due to the absence of sweeping, leading to simpler calls, though curlers can execute any shot possible in able-bodied play.
Games feature rule adaptations like pre-placed stones—up to two per end—to promote offense and offset no sweeping. The team with the hammer places one in the house, while the first-throwing team adds a guard and one in the house. Matches end after eight ends, compared to ten in standard curling. In mixed doubles, two athletes alternate throwing four stones each per end, with three pre-placed stones.
A key update for 2026 allows increased coach-player communication during ends, aiding decisions on ice conditions from prior shots. Ten teams will compete in mixed wheelchair curling, with the top four advancing to semifinals after round-robin play; eight nations join mixed doubles.
Skill levels have risen, with full-time training in countries like China. However, USA Curling seeks to recruit more recently disabled athletes, who often choose faster sports. Annis said: “Normally, they (don’t) come to us. Thats one area we do need to make huge improvements in is being able to find more. I mean, there are tons of athletes out there, and I think that’s going to be a big focus across all paralympic sports.”
