Latvia’s Bobsleigh Team Finishes 8th at Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics
The Latvian two-man bobsleigh team, piloted by Jēkabs Kalenda and brakeman Matiss Miknis, concluded their Olympic journey at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games with an eighth-place finish. The result marks a solid performance for the team in a highly competitive field dominated by German athletes.
A Race of Incremental Gains and Losses
Kalenda and Miknis demonstrated consistent performance throughout the competition. After ranking ninth in the first heat, they improved to fourth in the second, climbing three positions. However, a tenth-place finish in the third run saw them drop to seventh. A seventh-place result in the final run secured their eighth-place overall standing among 26 competing teams.
German Dominance Continues
The gold medal was claimed by Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer, continuing Germany’s strong tradition in bobsleigh. Francesco Friedrich and Alexander Schüller secured the silver, trailing by 1.34 seconds, while Adam Ammour and Alexander Schaller completed the German sweep of the podium, finishing 1.82 seconds behind the winners.
The Latvian duo finished 2.98 seconds behind the gold medalists. A mere tenth of a second separated them from a seventh-place finish, and just eight hundredths of a second stood between them and a potential spot in the top six.
Past Olympic Results and Latvian Representation
Germany’s dominance in two-man bobsleigh was also evident at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where German teams swept the entire podium.
Other Latvian teams also participated in the event. Oskars Ķibermanis and Matiss Miknis finished ninth, while Emīls Cipulis and Edgars Nemme placed 17th.
Looking Ahead
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled to continue until February 22nd.
Did you know?
Jēkabs Kalenda and Matiss Miknis were representing Latvia as Olympic Solidarity athletes.
FAQ
Q: Where were the bobsleigh events held?
A: The bobsleigh events were held in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Q: Who won the gold medal in the two-man bobsleigh?
A: Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer of Germany won the gold medal.
Q: What was Latvia’s best result in the two-man bobsleigh at the 2026 Olympics?
A: Jēkabs Kalenda and Matiss Miknis finished in eighth place.
Q: How many teams competed in the two-man bobsleigh event?
A: 26 teams competed in the event.
Q: What position did Oskars Ķibermanis and Matiss Miknis achieve?
A: They finished in ninth place.
Q: What position did Emīls Cipulis and Edgars Nemme achieve?
A: They finished in seventeenth place.
Pro Tip: Track records were broken during the competition, with Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer setting a start record of 4.78 seconds and a track record of 54.68 seconds.
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