Team USA secured its first medal in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics, earning silver. Massachusetts native Korey Dropkin, paired with Cory, reflected on the achievement as a dream come true after years of setbacks. The event marks a milestone for American curling in the two-person format.
Team USA claimed the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking the first time an American team has earned a medal in the event. Mixed doubles consists of teams with one man and one woman, competing in a format that emphasizes precision and strategy on the ice.
Korey Dropkin, a native of Massachusetts, was part of the silver-winning Team Korey and Cory. Dropkin, who attended Southborough High School and learned curling at the Broomstones Curling Club in Wayland, moved to Duluth, Minnesota, for college and stayed there to focus on the sport. Northern Minnesota is renowned for producing top curlers in the country.
Dropkin spoke about the journey to the podium. “It’s nice to put the U.S. on the map when it comes to mixed doubles curling,” he said. “I worked my butt off. Both Cory and I did. At the end of the day there is a shot or two I’d like back but also at the end of the day, we’re so proud to bring this guy home. Pretty large accomplishments for us, our families, our community and country.”
The path included heartbreak. Dropkin led teams to the finals of the U.S. Curling Trials in 2018 and 2022, where the winner secures the Olympic spot, but fell short both times. “There was a lot of heartbreak and a lot of low moments mentality I had to break through stand up and move forward and use those moments of struggle as fuel for the fire,” he reflected.
Despite the silver, Dropkin noted some missed shots he wishes he could redo, viewing them as motivation for the 2030 Olympics. “It’s a dream come true. We’re going to try and make another run here in the next four years,” he said. Though based in Minnesota, Dropkin remains a Boston sports enthusiast, even wearing a Patriots jersey in the Olympic Village during the Super Bowl.
