WHEELCHAIR CURLING TEAMS FINISH OUT PARALYMPIC GAMES, look to build on experience for 2030
Photo by: Team USA
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, March 16, 2026] — Team USA Wheelchair Curling teams left Cortina and the Paralympic Games without the hardware they sought, but proved themselves to be worthy competitors against a tough international field.
The Wheelchair Mixed Doubles team of Laura Dwyer (Oconomowoc, WI) and Steve Emt (Hebron, CT) finished just off the podium, losing 11-10 in an extra end in the the bronze medal game against Latvia. The Americans were just inches away from victory in the eighth end, but the Latvians held them to a single point, and then used their last-rock advantage in the ninth to capture bronze.
The Mixed Team—Matthew Thums (Wausau, WI), Oyuna Uranchimeg (Chaska, MN), Sean O’Neill (Falmouth, MA), Dan Rose (Denver, CO), Katie Verderber (Valier, MT)—had an up-and-down week, losing a number of games by the slimmest of margins. While it was a second Paralympic appearance for Thums and Uranchimeg, it was the Paralympic debut for O’Neill, Rose, and Verderber. The experience gained by this group will serve the team well in the next quadrennial.
USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell said, “We are extremely proud of the efforts of our wheelchair curlers. While they fell short of their goals, they represented the country with honor and played well against more experience lineups. This showing bodes well for the future as we look to further increase participation in our Paralympic program.”
For all results and statistics from the championship, visit the World Curling website.
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.
