On Wednesday evening, two days before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, the siblings will face South Korea in the mixed doubles first round in Cortina. The older brother thinks that the preparation for the Games has been optimal.
"Just the right amount of competition and training. We've managed to get many opportunities to train with each other; it's a bit of a challenge when you play so much with your regular teams," says Rasmus Wranå, who will also be chasing a medal with the men's team Edin later in the Olympics.
Olympic event since 2018
28-year-old Isabella Wranå, who is making her Olympic debut, describes it as "cool" to be able to play and write Swedish sports history together with her brother, who is three years younger.
"If we had known this when we started curling - that we would play in the Olympics together - I think we would have been proud, and we are now too."
Mixed doubles made its debut as an Olympic event in PyeongChang 2018. The Wranå siblings won the 2024 World Championships in Östersund and make no secret of their goal of winning a medal, but acknowledge that the competition is fierce.
"It gets tougher and tougher with each Olympics that goes by," says Isabella Wranå.
"Natural for me"
Her duties include throwing the first and last stones.
"I would describe my role as relatively similar to my usual position. It's natural for me to be in the house," she says.
Big brother is the one who throws most of the stones.
"I have to keep track of the lines and speeds on the ice," he says.
Rare stones
The granite used to make the Olympic stones was sourced from Ailsa Craig, an island a few kilometres off the southwest coast of Scotland. A curling stone weighs almost 20 kilograms and is made of durable material.
"I'm no expert, but I think there are only two places in the world where they pick rocks that become curling stones. The stones we will play with are brand new, but they will probably be of a very good standard," says Rasmus Wranå, who, after mixed doubles, will play in the men's tournament with his regular team Edin.
There he has acquired Olympic experience and won gold in 2022 and silver in 2018.
"Curling is the same. The big difference is that there is a bit more media and a bit more fuss around. As long as you have a good plan and follow it, things usually go well," he says.
Ola Karlman/TT
Facts: The Olympic tournament in mixed curling
TT
Sweden's matches in the group stage:
4/2 19.05: Sweden-South Korea
5/2 10.05: Sweden-Czech Republic
5/2 19.05: Sweden-Estonia
6/2 10.05: Sweden-Great Britain
6/2 14.35: Sweden-Norway
7/2 10.05: Sweden-Switzerland
7/2 14:35: Sweden-Italy
8/2 14.35: Sweden-Canada
8/2 19.05: Sweden-USA
The top four of the ten teams in the group stage will play the semi-finals on Monday, February 9. The final and the bronze medal match will be played on Tuesday, February 10.
Source: Swedish Curling Association
