In his Olympic debut at the 25th Winter Olympics in Bormio, Latvian alpine skier Elvis Opmanis secured the 32nd position in the downhill event, a noteworthy achievement given the competitive field of 36 athletes. The gold medal was won by Swiss world champion Franjo von Almen, who completed the course in a remarkable time of 1 minute and 51.61 seconds. Opmanis finished with a time of 1 minute and 59.24 seconds, placing him amidst a tightly contested group where only 34 athletes managed to finish the race.

The competition saw strong performances, with Italian skier Giovanni Franconi taking the silver medal just 0.20 seconds behind the winner, while his compatriot Dominik Paris claimed the bronze, trailing by 0.50 seconds. Despite finishing in the lower ranks, Opmanis’s participation marks a significant milestone for Latvian sports, showcasing new talent on a global stage. It reflects the growing presence of Latvian athletes in winter sports, particularly at high-stakes international events like the Olympics.

Following Opmanis’s performance, other Latvian athletes continued to compete, including cross-country skier Patrīcija Eiduka, who participated in the 20 km skiathlon, and luge competitors Kristers Aparjods and Gints Bērziņš, who were scheduled to race later in the day. The events are being broadcast live on channel LTV7, bringing excitement to viewers back in Latvia as they support their athletes at these prestigious games.