Two Wisconsin athletes will make history as the first Team USA Paralympic curlers to compete in the new event of mixed doubles wheelchair curling. It debuts at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy. Laura Dwyer of Oconomowoc and Steve Emt of Madison were named the first two members of the Team USA Paralympic team for the games, which begin in just over two months. The partnership between Dwyer and Emt almost never happened. Three years ago, when they first tried mixed doubles, they both wanted to go back to team curling. "We both are like, 'We hate this, this is awful,'" Emt said.We thought, What are we doing? Dwyer said.But their shared competitive drive and analytical approach to the sport eventually won them over. Emt, a former middle school math teacher, moved to Madison in 2023 because Wisconsin and Minnesota were where most top US curlers trained. That's when he realized Dwyer, located down I-94 in Oconomowoc, might be the perfect partner. Both former college athletes with intensely competitive personalities, they discovered they shared a unique approach to curling.Watch: Pair of Wisconsin Paralympic curlers say they almost quit the new event until they found the partner Pair of Wisconsin Paralympic curlers almost quit until they found the perfect partner"I have never met anyone who curls like I do, other than him. That same, go get it," Dwyer said. Their mathematical minds also proved to be an asset. Dwyer, a self-proclaimed data guru, and Emt use precise timing and calculations in their strategy. Every stone they throw is timed. If Dwyer throws too hard and the stone travels down the ice too quickly, she adjusts her grip to add or subtract seconds."The math is a little different," Dwyer said.Their analytical approach has paid off remarkably well."We have lost one game in two years," Emt said.Now, they're grateful they persevered through their initial struggles with the sport."I said, 'Let's try this. This could be a good thing,'" Dwyer said."Now there is no where I would rather be than with Laura and the Paralympics," Emt said. The duo is entering an intense training period as they prepare for Italy. Next week, they head to camp in Wausau, followed by training in Canada and various competitions before the Paralympics begin.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error ...read more read less