The United States' curling duo of Chris Plys and Vicky Persinger has officially earned a spot to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics in the mixed doubles competition.
Plys and Persinger were victorious in November's U.S. Olympic Mixed Doubles Curling Trials, but still needed to earn a qualification spot to compete at the Olympics in February. In order to cement their spot for the Olympics, they needed to finish as one of the top two teams at curling's Olympic Qualification Event in the Netherlands.
Against some stiff competition, the Americans not only qualified for the Olympics, but they did so handily, finishing the qualifier as one of just two undefeated teams in the competition.
Australia's Dean Hewitt and Tahli Gill was also unbeaten, and they'll be joining the U.S. at the Olympics.
The U.S. made their trip to the Olympics official Thursday afternoon with a 6-4 win over Russia in the Olympic Qualification Event final. Plys and Persinger got off to a quick 3-0 lead after two ends, and the Russians were never able to recover.
With Plys and Persinger headed to the Olympics, the U.S. will be represented in each curling discipline at the Games — mixed doubles, men's team and women's team. The John Shuster-skipped squad (which Plys is also a member of) earned their spot at the Olympics earlier this month, as did Tabitha Peterson and her group.
Curling action begins at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday, February 2 at the Ice Cube.