Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – The Korean mixed doubles team of Baek Hyejin and Lee Yongseok secured a spot in the medal round of the wheelchair curling competition at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Paralympics on Monday, March 10th, marking a significant milestone for Korean para-sport.
Baek and Lee defeated the American duo of Laura Dwyer and Stephen Emt 6-3 in the semi-final at the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium. This victory guarantees Korea a medal in wheelchair curling for the first time in 16 years, since the team’s silver medal performance at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics.
The Korean team will now face China in the gold medal match, aiming to capture the nation’s first-ever Paralympic gold in the sport. The mixed doubles event is a new addition to the Paralympic program, providing a fresh opportunity for success.
This marks a particularly sweet moment for Baek Hyejin, who previously competed in the four-person team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics but did not reach the podium. Lee Yongseok is competing in his first Paralympic Games and will abandon with a guaranteed medal.
The 2010 Vancouver team, comprised of Kang Mi-suk, Park Gil-woo, Kim Hak-sung, Jo Yang-hyun, and Kim Myung-jin, previously secured Korea’s first and only Paralympic medal in wheelchair curling. This recent success by Baek and Lee revives the program’s medal hopes and signals a promising future for Korean wheelchair curling.
Earlier in the day, the Korean four-person team suffered a 7-point loss to the United States, ending their three-game winning streak in the preliminary round. Despite this setback, the focus now shifts to the mixed doubles final and the potential for a historic gold medal.
