Latvian shorttrack athletes Roberts Krūzbergs and Reinis Bērziņš have successfully advanced to the quarter-finals of the 1000 meter event at the Olympic Games being held in Milan and Cortina. The qualification round involved 32 athletes divided into eight heats, with the top two finishers from each heat and four additional racers who placed third qualifying for the quarter-finals, which are set to take place on Thursday evening.

In the heats, Bērziņš competed in the seventh heat, finishing second to Dutch competitor Jens van't Vout. Bērziņš achieved a time of 1:25.76, narrowly missing the first place as van't Vout finished in 1:25.23. Krūzbergs, on the other hand, was in the last heat and finished in third place with a time of 1:25.341. Despite this position, he was granted advancement to the quarter-finals by the judges, highlighting the competitive nature of the event.

Both athletes are participating in their second Olympic Games, having previously competed in Beijing four years ago. Their progression to the quarter-finals showcases the growing prowess of Latvian athletes in winter sports, particularly short track speed skating, following a solid year of preparation and competition leading up to these Games.