Let’s All Say “Buongiorno” To My Favorite Olympic Curlers

Mixed doubles curling is the sport I'm most looking forward to across all of the Olympics. The competition is a lengthy journey that rewards close attention, but I also believe it's one of the best newcomer-friendly events of the entire Games. Even if you don't know anyone at the start, there are just four athletes on screen to keep track of—a relatively novel (for sports) combo of two men and two women. And unlike faster or more equipment-heavy events, curling is all about intimacy and communication. The mood is subdued. The cameras get you right up close. Even if you don't speak the language of the teams you're watching, the long looks at a player's expression as they talk strategy with their partner will help you feel more connected to this stranger than, say, viewing a luge run ever will. You really get to know someone by watching them curl.

Four years ago, my heart was captured by a mixed doubles pair from Italy—one that brought gold-medal glory to a country not traditionally known for its ability to precisely slide 42-pound rocks across a 150-foot-long sheet of ice. That dominant team of Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner ran the table in 11 matches, during a tournament where every other pair picked up at least four losses. After repeating that feat at the 2025 World Championships, they're looking to go unbeaten yet again at home in Cortina. I wondered, in 2022, if I was saying "farewell" or "see you later" after I watched them win gold. Well, they're back! And I invite you to watch them along with me.

So what's their deal? For starters, Mosaner and Constantini present a wonderful contrast. The 30-year-old Mosaner, four years older than his more demonstrative teammate, stands out in my memory as the strong, silent type, whose power works flawlessly with the charisma of Constantini. His partner will also be leading Italy's women's team, appearing at its first Olympics since 2006, and she's perfect for the role of skipper. While Mosaner's consistency is challenge enough to the pair's opponents, it was Constantini who took the most nerve-wracking, high-leverage shots in Beijing, and she executed on them with an aplomb that should have been far beyond what a 22-year-old newcomer could handle. She may have looked like just a kid, but she lit up under the spotlight.