Team Latvia - Profile

@ PYEONGCHANG 2018
Latvia competed in nine sports: Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, figure skating, luge, short track speed skating, skeleton, and speed skating - with a team of 34 athletes (25 men, 9 women). Latvia won one medal at PyeongChang, a bronze by Oskars Melbardis and Janis Strenga in 2-man bobsleigh.

PYEONGCHANG 2018 MEDALS
Bobsleigh: 1 (0-0-1)
Total: 1 (0-0-1)

PYEONGCHANG 2018 FLAGBEARERS
Opening Ceremony: Daumants Dreiskens (BOB)
Closing Ceremony: Haralds Silovs (SSK)

OLYMPIC GAMES HISTORY
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Latvia was granted its independence and its National Olympic Committee was recognised by the IOC. The nation had previously competed prior to World War II, debuting in 1924.

Latvia returned to the Olympic Winter Games at Albertville 1992 and has appeared at every Games since. Latvia's best winter sports are the sliding sports - bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton, as all nine of its Olympic Winter medals have come in those sports, along with its one gold in 4-man bobsleigh at Sochi 2014.

As of 2018, Latvia has won 30 medals (five gold, 14 silver, 11 bronze), with nine medals and one gold at the Olympic Winter Games. To date, Maris Strombergs is the only Latvian to win two gold medals as he won the BMX in 2008 and 2012. In 2000, gymnast Igors Vihrovs won the country's first Olympic gold medal.

The canoeist Ivans Klementjevs won gold in 1988 while representing the Soviet Union and added two silver medals in 1992 and 1996 as a member of the Latvian team.

MILESTONES

First Competitor, Female: Mirdza Martinsone (7 February 1936) - 1936 - Alpine Skiing (Combined) - DNF
First Competitor, Male: Alberts Rumba (26 January 1924) - 1924 - Speed Skating (500m) - 16th

Youngest Competitor, Female: Yelena Berezhnaya (16y-125d) - 1994 - Figure Skating (Pairs) - 8th
Youngest Competitor, Male: Leonids Vedejs (17y-117d) - 1936 - Ice Hockey - 13th

Oldest Competitor, Female: Anna Orlova (37y-175d) - 2010 - Luge (Singles) - 13th
Oldest Competitor, Male: Verners Auls (46y-187d) - 1936 - Figure Skating (Singles) - 25th

First Medallist, Female: Team (13 February 2014) - 2014 - Luge (Relay) - Bronze
First Medallist, Male: Martins Rubenis (12 February 2006) - 2006 - Luge (Singles) - Bronze

First Gold Medallist, Male: Team (23 February 2014) - 2014 - Bobsleigh (4-man) - Gold

Youngest Medallist, Female: Eliza Tiruma-Cauce (23y-175d) - 2014 - Luge (Relay) - Bronze
Youngest Medallist, Male: Andris Sics (24y-280d) - 2010 - Luge (Doubles) - Silver

Youngest Gold Medallist, Male: Arvis Vilkaste (24y-320d) - 2014 - Bobsleigh (4-man) - Gold

Oldest Medallist, Female: Eliza Tiruma-Cauce (23y-175d) - 2014 - Luge (Relay) - Bronze
Oldest Medallist, Male: Martins Rubenis (35y-139d) - 2014 - Luge (Relay) - Bronze

Oldest Gold Medallist, Male: Daumants Dreiskens (29y-331d) - 2014 - Bobsleigh (4-man) - Gold

Most Gold Medals, Male: Oskars Melbardis (1) - Bobsleigh
Most Gold Medals, Male: Daumants Dreiskens (1) - Bobsleigh
Most Gold Medals, Male: Janis Strenga (1) - Bobsleigh
Most Gold Medals, Male: Arvis Vilkaste (1) - Bobsleigh

Most Medals, Female: Eliza Tiruma-Cauce (1 | 0-0-1) - Luge
Most Medals, Male: Oskars Melbardis (3 | 1-0-2) - Bobsleigh
Most Medals, Male: Andris Sics (3 | 0-1-2) - Luge
Most Medals, Male: Juris Sics (3 | 0-1-2) - Luge

MEDALS BY CLASS AT PREVIOUS OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
Men: 6 (1-2-3)
Mixed: 1 (0-0-1)
Open: 2 (0-1-1)
Totals: 9 (1-3-5)

http://www.olimpiade.lv/