Hundreds gathered in Duluth to honor U.S. Olympic mixed doubles curling silver medalists Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin. The event featured speeches, tributes, and awards from city officials. Both athletes expressed gratitude and shared inspirations from past U.S. curling successes.
On Friday, February 27, 2026, the Harbor Side Ballroom at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) hosted the Silver Medal Celebration for Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, Duluth residents and silver medalists in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
The event drew hundreds of family, friends, and fans. It included speakers, video tributes, and a bagpiper-led entrance. Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert proclaimed the day in their honor and presented both athletes with the Seal of the City of Duluth, recognizing outstanding accomplishments that reflect the community's best qualities. "(They) have just excelled and shown the best of us, in this case, literally to the entire world," Reinert said.
Thiesse and Dropkin returned to Duluth on Monday, February 23, after the Olympics. They spoke on stage, thanked supporters, and met well-wishers while wearing their medals. "It's been a whirlwind of a month for us and it's been nice to be home the last couple of days and sort of start to process everything that we're able to accomplish over there," Thiesse said. "We're really proud to bring this home for Duluth, bring this home for the U.S."
Thiesse made history as the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic curling medal. She and Dropkin drew inspiration from the U.S. men's team's bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, which they saw at the Duluth Curling Club as children. "For me as a 12-year old kid seeing this Olympic medal, it just kind of helped me realize my dreams to become an Olympian someday," Thiesse recalled. Dropkin, who grew up in Southborough, Massachusetts, but moved to Duluth 13 years ago, echoed the sentiment: "I thought that was one of the coolest things in the world... It's just so 'full circle,' 20 years later to be able to go back to Italy and represent our great country and this great community of Duluth at the pinnacle of our sport."
Thiesse also competed for the U.S. women's team, which finished fourth, with fellow Duluthian Aileen Geving as alternate. The silver brings U.S. curling's total Olympic medals to three: the 2006 men's bronze, 2018 men's gold, and this mixed doubles silver. Thiesse noted her emotions from watch parties at the Duluth Curling Club. As the event closed, Dropkin asked Thiesse, "Four more years, let’s do it again?" She replied, "Yeah," prompting cheers of "USA, USA."
