Wheelchair curling is a dynamic and strategic sport played on ice, where athletes use specially designed wheelchairs to deliver stones toward a target area known as the house. Unlike traditional curling, wheelchair curling does not involve sweeping, making precision and strategy crucial. Athletes deliver stones from a stationary position, using a delivery stick or by hand. Teams consist of four players, with at least one female athlete required in mixed-gender team play.
Wheelchair curling made its Paralympic debut at the Paralympic Winter Games Torino 2006. Its inclusion in the program was driven by the sport’s growing popularity and its ability to provide competitive opportunities for athletes with mobility impairments. Prior to its debut, wheelchair curling was played in national and international competitions, gaining recognition for its accessibility and strategic depth.
Team USA made its debut in wheelchair curling at the Torino 2006 Games. Notable performances include the fifth place performance at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Wheelchair curling at the Paralympic Winter Games features a mixed-gender team event. The game follows the same general structure as traditional curling, with teams taking turns delivering stones toward the house. Each team has four players, and a fifth player serves as an alternate. The absence of sweeping means that once a stone is released, its trajectory cannot be adjusted, emphasizing precision and teamwork.
Follow along the wheelchair curlers' road to the Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Check out all the events Team USA athletes will be competing in on the road to Milano Cortina 2026.
| name | sport | Education | hometown | age | Medals | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Wheelchair Curling | San Antonio, TX | 56 | ||||||
 Laura Dwyer Paralympian 2026 Sport: Wheelchair Curling Education: University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Hometown: Oconomowoc, WI Age: 48 Qualified | Milano Cortina 2026 | Wheelchair Curling | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay | Oconomowoc, WI | 48 | |||||
 Steve Emt Paralympian 2018, 2022, 2026 Sport: Wheelchair Curling Education: Eastern Connecticut State University, B.S., University of St. Joseph (West Hartford, CT), M. Ed Hometown: DeForest, WI Age: 56 Qualified | Milano Cortina 2026 | Wheelchair Curling | Eastern Connecticut State University, B.S., University of St. Joseph (West Hartford, CT), M. Ed | DeForest, WI | 56 | |||||
 | Wheelchair Curling | New Hartford, NY | 63 | ||||||
 | Wheelchair Curling | East Falmouth, MA | 41 | ||||||
 Justin Marshall Paralympian 2018 Sport: Wheelchair Curling Education: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Hometown: Evansville, WI Age: 39 | Wheelchair Curling | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Evansville, WI | 39 | |||||
 Sean O'Neill Sport: Wheelchair Curling Education: Boston College, B.A., Harvard, J.D. Hometown: Forestdale, MA Age: 39 Qualified | Milano Cortina 2026 | Wheelchair Curling | Boston College, B.A., Harvard, J.D. | Forestdale, MA | 39 | |||||
 Penny Ricker Paralympian 2004 Sport: Wheelchair Curling, Sitting Volleyball Education: University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Hometown: Green Bay, WI Age: 55 Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| Wheelchair Curling, Sitting Volleyball | University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh | Green Bay, WI | 55 | Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| ||||
 Dan Rose Paralympian 2026 Sport: Wheelchair Curling Education: University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Hometown: Tomah, WI Age: 41 Qualified | Milano Cortina 2026 | Wheelchair Curling | University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire | Tomah, WI | 41 | |||||
SS | Wheelchair Curling | Portage, WI | 46 | ||||||
Wheelchair curling uses the same granite stones as traditional curling, each weighing approximately 44 pounds. Athletes use a delivery stick to propel the stone from their wheelchair, ensuring accuracy and control.
The playing surface, known as the ice sheet, measures approximately 150 feet in length. The target area, or house, consists of concentric circles that determine scoring. The ice is maintained with a special pebbling process that affects stone movement.
The Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium will welcome the world’s top curlers as they compete for Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games medals. Originally built for the 1956 Winter Olympics — the first held in Italy — and home to the Opening Ceremony and figu...
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Just under two months after they secured a spot for the U.S. in wheelchair curling at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the same five athletes learned Friday they’ll be the ones going to Beijing to try and win their country’s first wheelchair c...
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