At the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Latvian biathlete Birkentāls marked his Olympic debut by finishing 31st in the men's 20km individual race, with teammate Rastorgujevs coming in 41st. Birkentāls expressed his struggle to maintain the necessary pace during the competition, describing his feelings of inadequacy as he metaphorically compared himself to a 'sour cucumber.' Despite feeling that he did not perform to his potential, he noted that he was somewhat satisfied with being able to finish the race with only two mistakes.

In a post-race interview with Latvian Television (LTV), Birkentāls shared that he felt 'not in his element' leading up to the race. This pre-race anxiety translated into his performance, where he encountered attention lapses that resulted in errors at the shooting range. His critical self-assessment reflects the high stakes and pressures faced by athletes at the Olympics, where performances are subject to intense scrutiny both from the media and fans.

As they move forward, Birkentāls and his fellow athletes remain hopeful about upcoming competitions, despite the Olympic setback. The focus now shifts to recovering from this experience and preparing for future races where they can improve and achieve better outcomes. The Olympic environment presents unique challenges, and how athletes adapt can significantly influence their careers going forward.