CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 9 (Reuters) - American curler Korey Dropkin's animated displays of emotion have been electrifying fans throughout the mixed doubles competition at the Milano Cortina Games, with the 30-year-old saying he is just trying to have fun and be true to himself.
On Monday, Dropkin and doubles partner Cory Thiesse beat Olympic and world champions Italy 9-8 in the semi-finals, with Dropkin screaming in excitement, embracing his teammate and waving to fans at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
The victory set up a gold-medal showdown against Sweden and guaranteed the U.S. their first Olympic medal in mixed doubles curling.
Asked about showing his emotions during the tournament, a hoarse Dropkin told reporters: "It's just me trying to be myself and live my dream, our dream on the ice. You don't really get these opportunities every day, right? It's every four years.
"Some people only get the opportunity to dream of it and we're out there on the ice living it. So for me, win or lose throughout this event, it's always just been about having fun, being loose, being myself and spinning on the ice, doing those little things, that's me.
"That's me, that's childhood Korey that always had fun, got up, swept his own rocks, did some spins and twirls on the way back to the hack as he threw another stone and I don't want to lose that feeling."
Dropkin made comparisons with athletes in other sports when asked if his emotional approach aligned with the typically restrained sport.
"You don't see football players, basketball players, baseball players always hiding their emotions," he said.
"The TV's always on them. You know when they're pissed off and you know when they're having a good time. Why not curlers too?"
For Thiesse, the win carried special significance as she became the first American woman to win an Olympic curling medal, though the men's team have claimed gold and bronze in previous Games.
"I'm just so proud of the week that we've had. And I know how important it was for me to have people to look up to when I was growing up," the 31-year-old said.
"I just hope that I can be kind of an inspiration for young girls in curling and any sport in the U.S. to just dream big and work hard to achieve your goals."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair; editing by Clare Fallon)
