China Wins First-Ever Paralympic Curling Doubles Gold

Two voices shouted across the ice in pure joy as China's Wang Meng and Yang Jinqiao became the first-ever Paralympic champions in mixed doubles wheelchair curling. The historic moment came Wednesday at Milano Cortina 2026 after an extra end thriller that had everyone on the edge of their seats.

The Chinese duo dominated early, putting three stones on the board in the first end. South Korea's Baek Hyejin and Lee Yongsuk fought back hard, but trailed for most of the match until the seventh end changed everything.

With precision throws, South Korea jumped ahead by three stones. Going into the final end, China held just a one-stone lead, and Baek's expert ninth stone tied the game, forcing the extra end that would decide Paralympic history.

That's when China's youth and courage shined brightest. Yang, at 24, and Wang, at 37, were the youngest team competing in Milano Cortina 2026, and they used that energy to their advantage.

"Being young gives us courage and the motivation to keep fighting," Wang told reporters. Yang stayed laser-focused, describing how he had "a dialogue with the ice" during the crucial moments.

The extra end belonged to China from the start. They added two more stones for a commanding 9-7 finish, sending their red-clad supporters into celebration.

Why This Inspires

This victory represents more than just a new event at the Paralympics. Wang competed on China's 2018 mixed team that won their first-ever Winter Paralympics medal, sparking a movement that led to 61 medals at Beijing 2022.

"Now I feel even more proud," Wang said about this victory compared to 2018. "The two of us, together with our coach, have worked hard for four years to achieve this goal and realize this dream."

South Korea's silver medal marked their first wheelchair curling podium since 2010. Baek credited her sixth-place finish at Beijing 2022 as fuel for growth, showing how setbacks can become stepping stones.

Latvia won their first-ever Winter Paralympics medal with a dramatic 11-10 bronze medal victory over the USA, also in an extra end. After starting the tournament 0-3, Polina Rozhkova and Agris Lasmans, the 2023 world champions, proved that perseverance pays off.

Four years of dedication, moments of doubt, and unwavering determination all came together on one ice sheet in Italy, creating three new Paralympic medal stories worth celebrating.