WENDLING/PARAL CAPTURE BRONZE AT YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
Photo by: WCF
[EAGAN, MN, February 1, 2024] — Ella Wendling and Benji Paral continued the medal run for American teams in PyeongChang, capturing bronze in Mixed Doubles at the Youth Olympic Games. The United States has quite a history in Korea, as it was the site of the historic run to Men’s gold during the 2018 Winter Games and a silver medal at the World Junior Men’s championship in 2017.
Wendling and Paral continued the American podium tradition, finishing the event with a thrilling comeback in the bronze medal game against Sweden. Trailing 4-1 after five ends, the American duo were forced to a single in the sixth end but stole the in the seventh and eighth to tie the score. In the extra end, the momentum continued, and the team secured a 7-4 victory.
A loss in the semi-final was the only blemish in the event for Wendling/Paral—they finished their run at the Youth Olympic Games with a 6-1 record. It was a tough finish for the Swedes, but a crucial miss in the seventh end was the turning point.
Paral was sympathetic, saying, “They played amazing and they were great competition.You can play great the whole game, but games come down to single shots and that’s how sports are—it’s tough.”
“It’s crazy to to be a medalist,” Paral added.
To make the event even more memorable for the Americans, Wendling was recognized by her athlete peers and named the flag bearer for the Closing Ceremonies.
“We are so proud of this team, not only for their play on the ice but for the way they represented the country off it,” added USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by your athlete peers.”
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, Thorne, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
