Beijing’s “Flying snow dragon” track was no match for Germany.
Defending two-time gold medalists Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt just secured their third gold in the men’s doubles competition.
Germany’s Wendl and Arlt placed first with 1:56.554, right in front of their fellow German competitors, Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken, who placed second with 1:56.653, securing silver. Austria’s Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller clinched bronze with 1:57.065.
Out of medal placement was Latvia’s Martins Bots and Roberts Plume, who secured fourth place with 1:57.419, and fellow Latvians Andris Sics and Juris Sics, 1:57.437, who placed fifth.
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Italy’s Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner, previously fourth during run one, fell to sixth in the final run, with 1:57.597.
The first run of doubles went just as expected. Defending gold medalists Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt set a new record with 58.255 and held the gold position for Germany.
The silver position was secured by Germany as well, as Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken hit a 58.300. They are the 2018 bronze medalists, and came into Beijing as the top lugers in the world, as they led the 2021-22 Luge World Cup, with the "two Tobis" right behind in second.
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The bronze position was held by Austria’s Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller, who scored 58.426.
Italy’s Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner placed fourth with 58.602. Latvia’s Martins Bots and Roberts Plume placed fifth with 58.628. Latvia’s Andris Sics and Juris Sics, who were 2014 Olympic bronze medalists and third in the 2021-22 Luge World Cup, placed sixth with a 58.703.
USA’s Zachary Di Gregorio and Sean Hollander placed 12th with 59.389.
Despite their home track advantage, China’s Huang Yebo and Peng Junyue placed last (17th) with 1:00.732 in the first run. They were left with very little chance to reach the podium right from the start.
Stay tuned for the final competition of luge: team relay. The event will take place on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. EST.
