DWYER/EMT EARN PLACE IN MIXED DOUBLES MEDAL ROUND AT WINTER PARALYMPIC GAMES
Photo by: Team USA
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, March 9, 2026] — It was a tall order but after a gritty performance against top-ranked China in the final round-robin session, the United States earned a berth in the Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling medal round at the 2026 Paralympics in Cortina.
Entering the game against China, Laura Dwyer (Oconomowoc, WI) and Steve Emt (Hebron, CT) had a 3-3 record and found themselves in a five-way tie for second place. China came into the game undefeated with a perfect 6-0 record, and had a significant scoring advantage against all their opponents.
With their medal chances in the balance—a loss would eliminate the Americans from the competition—Dwyer and Emt jumped out to an early 4-0. But China has been scoring points in bunches throughout the event, and they continued to do that in this contest. In the fourth end, the Chinese used their Power Play to score four points to tie the game at the break, and then added single points in the fifth and sixth ends to take a 6-4 lead.
The United States team, however, maintained its composure, using their Power Play to score two in the seventh end and tie the score. It all came down to the eighth and final end, and the Americans, without last rock, needed to score to advance. In dramatic fashion, they stole a single point, good enough for a 7-6 win and a spot in the first round of the playoffs. They will now face Korea in a semi-final, scheduled for Tuesday March 10th at 2:35 PM in Cortina, and 9:35 Eastern Time in the United States.
This is the first time the Mixed Doubles discipline has been a part of the Paralympic schedule. The performance by Dwyer and Emt marks the first time the United States has qualified for a medal round in Wheelchair Curling since the 2010 Paralympics.
In Mixed Team play, the United States enters its evening contest with a 2-2 record, tied for fourth place, after handing Sweden its first loss of the event. The Mixed Team—Matthew Thums (Wausau, WI), Oyuna Uranchimeg (Chaska, MN), Sean O’Neill (Falmouth, MA), Dan Rose (Denver, CO), and Katie Verderber (Valier, MT)—will face Latvia, Slovakia, Korea, Norway, and Canada, as they make their own push for the medal round.
For schedules and statistics from the championship, visit the World Curling website. The full schedule of Wheelchair Curling coverage on Peacock and the NBC family of networks can be found here.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, the Dale’s family of beers, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Ice, Sports & Solar (ISS), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of World Curling and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
