US reaches first Olympic curling mixed doubles final, will face Swedish siblings for gold

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Korey Dropkin whooped and hollered and directed a string of fist pumps to a small pocket of American curling fans chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

The U.S. is headed to the mixed doubles final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — and has quashed the title hopes of the host nation in the process. Dropkin and his more stoic partner, Cory Thiesse, guaranteed the U.S. its first Olympic medal in the mixed event with a 9-8 victory over Italy in a riveting semifinal match on Monday.

“I bring out a little bit more energy than I probably should,” Dropkin said, grinning through a voice hoarse from yelling in celebration.

“You don’t see football players, basketball players, baseball players always hiding their emotions,” he continued. “You know when they’re pissed off and you know when they’re having a good time. Why not curlers, too?”

Thiesse, from the curling haven of Duluth, Minnesota, becomes the first woman to win an Olympic medal for the U.S.

In Tuesday's title match, the Americans will play Sweden, whose brother-and-sister team of Isabella and Rasmus Wrana upset the British pair of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat in a 9-3 blowout in just seven ends.

Dropkin, of Massachusetts, and Thiesse are competing in their first Olympics and they hugged tightly after the final rock settled to earn two points and the win for the Americans.

Thiesse said it was “crazy" she was going to be playing in a final, adding: “Just a dream week really.”

Asked how it felt to beat the Italians, Dropkin said: “There’s no better way to make the Olympic final than to go through the reigning Olympic champions."

Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner have enjoyed raucous support over the past week, with Italian fans registering their approval by banging on the old wooden bannisters inside the Cortina Curling Stadium and screaming “Italia! Italia! Italia!” In Constantini, Italy found a new Olympic darling — and she looked stunned as the tables slowly turned.

The Italians had defeated the U.S. earlier in the day.

Dodds and Mouat, who entered the field as favorites, shook hands with the Wrana siblings with one end still to play. Sweden’s brother-and-sister combo grew up as rivals and now they could win gold together.

“We knew that we had to play our best game of the week to have a chance to beat Great Britain because they’re so good," Rasmus Wrana said.

Asked how they came back from three losses in a row earlier in the round robin, Isabella Wrana said: “Mixed doubles, anything can happen.”

Italy will take on Britain in the bronze-medal match a few hours before the final.

In mixed doubles curling, teams with one woman and one man face off against one another.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

United States' Korey Dropkin reacts following the semi-finals round of the mixed doubles curling match against Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

United States' Korey Dropkin, left, and United States' Cory Thiesse react following their semi-finals round of the mixed doubles curling match against Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

United States' Korey Dropkin and United States' Cory Thiesse hug after winning the semi-finals round of the mixed doubles curling match against Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Sweden's Rasmus Wranaa reacts during the semi-finals round of the mixed doubles curling match against Britain, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Sweden's Rasmus Wranaa hugs Isabella Wranaa during the semi-finals round of the mixed doubles curling match against Britain, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

United States' Korey Dropkin, left, and United States' Cory Thiesse react following the semi-finals round of the mixed doubles curling match against Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge turned to the Bleacher Creatures during their first-inning Roll Call at the New York Yankees' home opener Friday, bent a knee and flexed with both arms in honor of Brett Gardner.

“Still hoping he gets a chance to come back here and share his knowledge with the boys a little bit,” Judge said after his go-ahead, two-run homer in the first inning started the Yankees to an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins. “He was a big part of this team, his long tenure here as a Yankee, so I always like paying him a little credit. He's tuned into the game and watching.”

Gardner spent his entire big league career with the Yankees from 2008-21, and Judge made his major league debut with New York in 2016. Judge started flexing for Roll Call when playing center field, Gardner's old position. Judge roomed with Gardner in 2017.

“He was a leader. He was a professional. He was a prankster. He was everything that you look for in a guy to lead the team,” Judge said, speaking slowly and choosing his words carefully. “He took me in at a young age when I first got here and he treated me just like everybody else and showed me respect. He taught me a lot of things. It kind of teaches you how to lead a clubhouse. He had a big influence on me not only on the field but inside this clubhouse, just the way he played the game and the way he held everybody to a standard. Very few guys are made like Brett Gardner.”

Gardner has been in the Yankees' thoughts even more since March 2024, when his youngest son died at age 14 during a family vacation in Costa Rica. Authorities determined carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death.

Judge, the team captain, wanted the Yankees to arrive in style after opening 5-1 on their West Coast trip.

“That's Cap, again, setting the tone,” said Ben Rice, who homered and drove in three runs. “Sent us a text late last night saying: `Hey, suits tomorrow.' So everybody was fired up and we were happy to continue that momentum out on the field.”

Trent Grisham reached leading off with the first of 11 walks by Marlins pitchers and Judge drove a slider into the left-field seats against Eury Pérez for a 2-1 lead.

Judge, who had three RBIs, hit a record 20 first-inning home runs last year, when he finished with 53. Three of Judge’s five hits this season have been home runs.

Coming off his third AL MVP award and first batting title, Judge is off to a slow start with a .185 average.

He gave his teammates a scare in the second inning when he was hit below the right wrist by a 98.9 mph fastball from Pérez, one pitch after Grisham's bases-loaded walk.

“I’ve broken my wrist like that, so that’s always the main concern,” Judge said.

Judge missed 45 games after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City’s Jakob Junis on July 26, 2018.

“Felt like he was probably OK but I tend to jump up a little quicker when it’s to him," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) hits a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to dugout during the fifth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) successfully steals second base during the eighth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees outfielders Cody Bellinger (35), Trent Grisham (12) and Aaron Judge (99) embrace each other after wining a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)