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2026 Olympics special edition
Milano-Cortina 2026 · Winter Olympics Full Recap · Latvia1 MEDAL · 1 Silver · Multiple Top-5 Finishes
Latvia's biggest winter team ever
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Latvia sent its largest-ever delegation to a Winter Games — roughly 45 athletes competing across luge, ice hockey, biathlon, cross-country skiing, bobsled, skeleton, figure skating, and more. Flag bearers at the opening ceremony were ice hockey captain Kaspars Daugaviņš and Dženifera Ģērmane.
The Games were held February 6–22. When the flame was extinguished in Verona, Latvia returned home with one medal and a handful of performances that came heartbreakingly close to the podium.
Historic silver for BotaFirst-ever women's singles luge medal in Latvian Olympic history
In perhaps the most celebrated Latvian result of the Games, Elīna Ieva Bota climbed onto the podium in the women's luge singles — a historic first for Latvia. Germany's Julia Taubitz won gold, while American Ashley Farquharson claimed bronze. For Bota, it was a breakthrough performance on one of the sport's most demanding tracks.
LugeLatvia's strongest discipline
Ten Latvian athletes competed at the Cortina Sliding Centre. The team punched well above its weight, with near-misses across multiple events.
| Event | Athlete(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Women's singles | Elīna Ieva Bota | 🥈 Silver |
| Women's singles | Kendija Aparjode | ~19th |
| Men's singles | Kristers Aparjods | 4th |
| Men's singles | Gints Bērziņš | Top 15 |
| Team relay | Bota / Bots & Plūme / Aparjods / Robežniece & Bogdanova | 4th |
Kristers Aparjods finished an agonizing 4th in the men's singles with a total time of 3:32.556 — just 1.128 seconds behind gold medalist Max Langenhan of Germany. He was considered a genuine podium threat throughout the competition.
The team relay also finished 4th, just over one second behind winning Germany — in a race where Latvia led at one point before the doubles pair had a difficult run. For fourth place, each team member received a prize of €92,202.
Ice hockey · Men's tournamentNHL stars rreturn for Latvia
For the first time since 2014, Latvia's roster was bolstered by NHL players — headlined by goaltenders Elvis Merzļikins (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Arturs Silovs (Pittsburgh Penguins). Captain: Kaspars Daugaviņš.
Group C Results — Latvia finished 4th in the group (3 pts, 1W–0–2L):
The upset victory over Germany was a highlight of the tournament. However, Latvia was unable to advance past the qualification play-off round, falling to Sweden 5–1, and ultimately finishing 10th out of 12 nations.
Other DisciplinesAcross the Board
| Sport | Athletes | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| Biathlon | Rastorgujevs, Birkentāls, Lozbers, Mise; Bendika, Buliņa, Volfa, Sabule, Volfa | First Olympic biathlon team since 2010 |
| Cross-Country | Auziņa, Kaparkalēja, Krampe; Kaparkalējs, Saulītis, Vīgants | 6 athletes qualified |
| Bobsled | Kalenda, Grantiņš & crews | 8-athlete squad |
| Skeleton | Emils Indriksons | Youngest skeleton competitor at the Games (age 19) |
| Alpine Skiing | Opmanis, Germane | Basic quota entries |
| Figure Skating | Vasiļjevs, Kuļišs | Qualified via 2025 World Championships |
Final TallyLatvia at Milano-Cortina 2026
| Sport / Event | Best Result |
|---|---|
| Luge — Women's Singles | 🥈 Silver |
| Luge — Men's Singles | 4th Place |
| Luge — Team Relay | 4th Place |
| Ice Hockey | 10th of 12 |
| Biathlon, XC Ski, Bobsled, etc. | Competed |
Latvia's luge program remains the nation's premier Winter Olympic discipline — and Elīna Ieva Bota's silver medal will be remembered as one of the country's finest Winter Games moments. We look ahead with pride to the 2030 French Alps Games.
2026 Winter Olympics Latvian team roster
Any ommissions are our error.
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