Latvia in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games

The 2018 Winter Olympic Games have begun in PyeongChang, South Korea. There are 34 athletes from Latvia, including the Šics brothers (luge medalists in Sochi) and Mārtiņš Dukurs (skeleton medalist in Sochi and Vancouver). The number is considerably down from the previous Olympics, as the Latvian hockey team failed to qualify. However with 9 sports represented and numerous returning medalists, Latvia has a good chance to reach the podium.

Latvia has won eight winter Olympic medals: Mārtiņš Rubenis (luge bronze in Turin), Andris & Juris Šics (silver in doubles luge Vancouver, bronze in Sochi), Mārtiņš Dukurs (skeleton silver in Vancouver & gold in Sochi), Tomass Dukurs (bronze in skeleton, Sochi), Daumants Dreiškens, Oskars Melbārdis, Jānis Strenga & Arvis Vilkaste (gold in 4-man bobsled in Sochi) and Mārtiņš Rubenis, Elīza Tīruma, Andris Šics & Juris Šics (bronze in team relay luge in Sochi). The Sochi gold and bronze skeleton medals were an upgrade after Olympic champion Alexandr Tretiakov was found guilty of doping at the Sochi games in Russia, was banned for life from the Olympics, and stripped of his medals in the 2014 games. Similarly the Melbārdis four-man luge relay received gold after the Russian athletes were disqualified.

Team Latvia, with President Vējonis (source here)

The Team Latvia Olympic uniforms were unveiled last November, designed and produced by Polish sports clothing company 4F. Traditional Latvian elements such as the skujiņa were incorporated along with the three stars from the Brīvības piemineklis freedom monument and the Olympic rings.

source here

The Latvian Olympic Committee released this schedule of events according to athletes participating, although it is according to the Eastern European Time Zone. Having cross-checked with the CBS Olympics schedule, I’ve identified the key dates/times to watch in hopes of catching the Latvians in action (all listed in EST):

Veiksmi mūsējiem!🇱🇻 #Latvia #LatvijaKorejā #MēsTicamSavējiem #WinterOlympics #PyeongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/L0JHhQ12be

— 🇱🇻❄️Līga❄️🇱🇻 (@ligazl15) February 9, 2018

A short video of Latvia's entrance during the Parade of Nations during the PyeongChang Opening Ceremony

Friday, February 9^th 8-11pm - Opening Ceremony, NBC

Wednesday, February 14^th 9:30-11:30am - Luge (doubles gold medal final), NBCSN

   3-5pm - Luge (doubles gold medal final), NBC A.Šics/J.Šics, P.Kalniņš/O.Gudramovičs

   8-11:30pm - Men's Skeleton (qualifying), NBC (LIVE) M.Dukurs, T.Dukurs

Thursday, February 15^th 12:05-1:30am - Men's Skeleton (Run 2 of 4), NBC (LIVE) M.Dukurs, T.Dukurs

    9:30am-12pm - Luge (team relay gold medal final), NBCSN

    8pm-12:30am - Men's Skeleton (Gold medal final runs), NBC (LIVE) M.Dukurs, T.Dukurs

Friday, February 16^th 1:05-2am - Luge (team relay gold medal final), NBC

Sunday, February 18^th 9:30-10:15am - Two-Man Bobsled, NBCSN O.Melbārdis, O.Ķibermanis

Friday, February 23^rd - 8-11pm - Four-Man Bobsled (competition), NBC - O.Melbārdis, O.Ķibermanis

Saturday, February 24^th - 8-11pm - Four Man Bobsled (gold medal final Runs), NBC (LIVE)

Sunday, February 25^th 8-10:30pm - Closing Ceremony, NBC

Also, keep your eyes peeled during:

   Speed Skating, men’s short track 500m & 1000m - R.Puķītis, R.J.Zvejnieks

   Speed Skating, men's short track 1500m - R. Puķītis

   Speed Skating, men’s 1000m & 5000m – H. Silovs

   Luge, men’s singles - I.Kivlenieks, K.Aparjods, A.Dārznieks

   Luge, women’s singles - E.Cauce, U.Zirne, K.Aparjode

   Biathlon, women's 7.5km sprint, 15km, pursuit & 12.5km mass start - B. Bendika 

   Biathlon, men’s 10km sprint, pursuit, 15km & 20km mass start - A.Rastorgujevs, O.Muižnieks

   Alpine skiing, men’s downhill, combined, slalom, giant slalom & Super G - K.Zvejnieks

   Alpine skiing, women’s giant slalom & slalom - L.Gasūna

   Cross Country Skiing, men’s sprint, 15km freestlye - I.Bikše

   Cross Country Skiing, women’s sprint & 10km freestlye - P.Eiduka, I.Paškovska

   Figure Skating, men’s - D.Vasiļjevs

   Figure Skating, women’s - D.Ņikitina

   Skeleton, women’s - L.Priedulēna

Daumants Dreiskens with the Latvian 4-man bobsled team, source here

Three-time Olympian Daumants Dreiškens will be carrying the Latvian flag in the Opening Ceremony. Dreiškens was part of the gold-medal bobsled team in the Sochi Olympics.

See the above link for the official run times of the Latvian luge team (keep in mind that the first time is PyeongChang time and the one in parenthesis is Eastern European time). Along with skeleton and bobsled, we’ll also be keeping a close eye on women’s slopestyle, where Estonian Kelly Sildaru is considered a medal hopeful.

Two-time Olympics medalist Mārtiņš Dukurs, source here

Let the Games begin!

Important links: Latvian Olympic Committee on Facebook
   PyeongChang official Olympics website
(and if someone can find me an official twitter account, I would be grateful!)