"Since luge joined the calendar for the Winter Games in 1964, Germany - which has been represented by four teams over that time, East Germany, West Germany, the United Team and just plain old Germany - has failed to win at least four medals just once. The country has won 87 luge medals overall, 38 of them gold. And you can expect to hear Das Deutschlandlied played on an endless loop again in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where the luge competition gets underway Saturday."
"The U.S. has won just six luge medals - none of them gold - overall and just two combined in the last four Olympics. But there's some history to go with that since Chris Mazdzer's silver in 2018 is the only Olympic luge medal in men's singles won by a non-European. The first non-European to win a women's singles medal was American Erin Hamlin, who struck bronze in 2014."
"The sliding center was one of two main Olympic venues that was in danger of not being completed in time for the Milan-Cortina Games, forcing construction workers to race to beat Friday's deadline. Among the favorites to be the fastest man down the completed run is Germany's Felix Loch, a three-time gold medalist in the event. Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt are favored to win their fourth consecutive Olympic doubles event. They will be going for a third straight gold in the team relay."
The term 'luge' derives from the French word for sled. Germany has dominated Olympic luge since 1964, representing four teams over time and winning 87 medals, including 38 gold. The Cortina d'Ampezzo sliding center opened after a last-minute construction push for the Milan-Cortina Games. The U.S. has won six luge medals overall, none gold, with Chris Mazdzer's 2018 silver the only men's singles medal by a non-European and Erin Hamlin the first non-European women's singles medalist with bronze in 2014. Favorites include Germany's Felix Loch and doubles pair Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt. Americans Summer Britcher and Emily Fischnaller are medal contenders.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]