The cruelty of the Olympics is that a person can do something no one expected – say, for example, play for a gold medal for the first time in US history in a certain sport– and then when the gold shimmer changes to silver, it somehow feels like a disappointment.
That is how Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse looked and felt after losing to Sweden, 6-5, in the Olympic finals of mixed doubles curling. While the Swedes jumped up and down with their brooms overhead, the two Americans embraced in what was a long, emotional hug. They did not come here for second place, even if second place ought to be celebrated.
Because there is no way to look at their silver medal except as a massive victory for them and their sport. They are not only the first US mixed doubles team to medal; Thiesse is the first American woman to win a curling medal of any kind. And she still has a shot at another – she’s part of the women’s team, which begins round-robin play on Thursday.
Maybe more importantly, they could be the start of a broom-brigaded revolution.
A week ago, it’s fair to assume that no one outside of Dropkin’s and Thiesse’s family knew who they were. In the span of a handful of effusive (Korey) and controlled (Cory) games, they have become at least semi-famous. Since coming to Italy and making their way through the round-robin, around defending Olympic champion Italy in the semis and into the gold-medal game, Dropkin went from 15,000 Instagram followers to 22,000 Thiesse from 10,000 to 12,500. And those follows are still growing.
Continue reading the complete article on the original source
