Duluth's Korey Dropkin, Cory Thiesse win world curling championship in mixed doubles

Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse of Duluth won the world championship in mixed doubles curling, defeating Japan's Tanida Yasumasa and Matsumura Chiaki 8-2 in Saturday's gold-medal match in Gangneung, South Korea.

It's the United States' first mixed doubles curling world title and the United States' first curling world title since Debbie McCormick won gold for the American women 20 years ago.

"Oh my gosh. I can't even believe it," Thiesse said at Gangneung Curling Centre, the same venue where fellow Duluth-based curler John Shuster led the American men to Olympic gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. "I'm definitely still speechless right now. It definitely hasn't sunk in yet. But it's incredible. And I'm so proud of my partner, and it's such a great week."

The Americans went 7-2 in the round robin, then beat defending champ Scotland in the quarterfinals and Canada in the semis. They stole two points in the second end to lead the gold-medal match 3-0 and were in control from there. Japan conceded after Thiesse scored two points in the seventh end to make it 8-2.

The Gophers' Kostas Zaltos tossed the top hammer throw mark in the NCAA this season at 246 feet, 11 inches, a school and meet record on the final day of the Drake Relays in Des Moines.

It was one of seven titles over three days for the Gophers men's and women's track teams in Iowa. The men finished second overall and the women placed third.

Zaltos recorded the 10th-best mark in the world this year. The previous Gophers record was 243-11 by Sean Donnelly in 2016.

The Gophers finished 1-2 in the event, with Jake Kubiatowicz throwing a career-best 228-4.

The Gophers also won both 4x100 relays. The men's team of Carlon Hosten, Kion Benjamin, Finn Schirmer and Devin Augustine finished in 39.30 seconds. Moments earlier, the women's team of Odell Frye, Lauren Hansen, Akilah Lewis and Amira Young clocked a 44.60.

Other Gophers winners Saturday included Young in the 100 at 11.31 seconds, an event Lewis placed fourth and Frye fifth; the 4x400 women's relay team of Jayla Campbell, Janielle Josephs, Young and Hansen at 3:37.48 to conclude the meet. Hosten also finished second in the men's 100 at 10.28.

On Friday, Isaiah Schafer won the shot put in 63-0¼, while Shelby Frank, competing unattached, won the discus at 186-4.

Wrestler Gable Steveson ended a long break from competition by racing through the U.S. Open, winning the title in the men's freestyle 125-kilogram class Friday in Las Vegas to take a step toward the upcoming world championships.

Steveson, an Apple Valley native, former Gopher and 2021 Olympic gold medalist, had not competed since winning his second NCAA title last year. He outscored his opponents 44-1 in four matches at the U.S. Open. After defeating reigning NCAA champ and Hodge Trophy winner Mason Parris 12-1 in the semifinals, Steveson blanked two-time world championships medalist Nick Gwiazdowski 10-0 in the championship match.

The victory gives Steveson a berth in Final X, a June 10 tournament that will determine the U.S. team for this fall's world championships in Serbia.