U.S. Women's Curling Makes History, Beats Canada for First Time

The U.S. women's curling team just pulled off something that's never happened before at the Olympics. They defeated perennial powerhouse Canada 9-8 on Friday, breaking a streak that's lasted since curling joined the Winter Games in 1998.

"If that's true, I think we just played a really good game," said Minneapolis native Taylor Anderson-Heide after learning about the historic win. "They're No. 1 in the world."

Canada has medaled in every Winter Games since curling became an Olympic sport, making this victory even sweeter. The American men broke their own Canadian curse in 2018, but the women had never managed it until now.

The team capitalized on a few rare mistakes by Canada's legendary skip Rachel Homan and her squad. After the final stone, the Americans walked down the ice together, raising their fists in triumph.

What makes this team special goes beyond their historic win. Three of the five women are mothers to young children, and three hold down full-time jobs outside of curling.

Tara Peterson works as a dentist, her older sister Tabitha (the team's skip) is a pharmacist, and Cory Thiesse is a lab technician. Tara gave birth to her son Eddie just five months ago in September 2024, while Tabitha welcomed daughter Noelle a few months later.

"That's the cool thing about the sport of curling," Tara told reporters before the Olympics. "Your average Joe is playing against Olympians and we're friends. After the game we'll sit down, we have dinner, we have a beer. It's just a normal life."

Why This Inspires

This team proves you don't have to choose between family, career, and Olympic dreams. While many elite athletes train full-time and put life on hold, these women are juggling pediatric dentistry appointments, pharmacy shifts, lab work, and toddler bedtimes alongside their quest for gold.

Their down-to-earth approach extends to how they handle pressure too. Tabitha says she thinks of the Olympics "as just another tournament" rather than letting the magnitude psych her out.

The victory puts them at 2-1 in round-robin play, with several matches remaining before the semifinals next Friday. They're proving that Olympic glory doesn't require sacrificing everything else that makes life meaningful.