LUGE DOUBLES MEDALISTS AT THE 2022 WINTER OLYMPICS
GOLD: Tobias Wendl / Tobias Arlt, GER, 1:56.554
SILVER: Toni Eggert / Sascha Benecken, GER, 1:56.653
BRONZE: Thomas Steu / Lorenz Koller, AUS, 1:57.065
FULL EVENT REPLAY: DOUBLES RUNS 1 AND 2
The ‘Two Tobis’ – Tobias Wendl and partner Tobias Arlt – brought home a third consecutive Olympics doubles title on Wednesday, their fifth overall gold medal.
Germany has now gone three-for-three in luge competitions at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The country may very well sweep following Thursday’s team relay, which will also feature the event’s two-time defending gold medalists Wendl and Arlt.
SEE MORE: Johannes Ludwig wins gold in men’s luge singles for Germany
SEE MORE: Germany’s Geisenberger threepeats in luge women’s singles
On their way to victory, Wendl / Arlt set a track record during Run 1 with 58.255 seconds. They finished the race in 1:56:554 after a dramatic second heat, which saw them go last.
Germans Toni Eggert / Sascha Benecken were only 0.045 seconds from the top coming into Run 4. Ultimately, they failed to make up the difference, securing silver with a tight, penultimate performance.
In third: 2021 World Cup overall champions Thomas Steu / Lorenz Koller of Austrria, who finished fourth at PyeongChang 2018. The duo was more than half a second from the lead.
It was a solid albeit humbling race for Latvian brothers Andris / Juris Sics, who finished fifth in their fifth and likely final Games. They missed the podium and were beaten by compatriots Martins Bots and Roberts Plume – a changing of the guard.
Following victories in men’s and women’s singles, Germany looks to sweep all four luge events at these Games by earning a third straight team relay gold on Thursday. Since that additional event debuted in 2014, it would mark the second time Germany has swept all four of the sport’s events at a single Games.
In 11th place, American rookies Zach Di Gregorio and Sean Hollander – making their Olympic debuts at just 20 and 21 years old – did well, considering their new sled and lack of experience. But could the U.S. have ranked higher had eighth-place singles finisher Chris Mazdzer and partner Jayson Terdiman punched their ticket instead?
SEE MORE: U.S. lugers finish in top 20 of men’s singles event
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