February 19, 2010
Skeletonist Martins Dukurs, who four years ago finished seventh in the event, has won a silver medal for Latvia during the Feb. 19 men’s competition in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada.
Dukurs, the last to run the fourth heat in the zig-zag course at the Whistler Sliding Centre, recorded a total time of 3 minutes, 29.80 seconds, according to results posted on the official Web site of the Winter Olympics, www.vancouver2010.com. He was just .07 seconds behind the hometown favorite, Canada’s Jon Montgomery, who won the gold with a total time of 3:29.73.
Montgomery, who trailed Dukurs in overall time through the first three heats, was aided in part by breaking the track record of 52.32 that Dukurs had set in the first heat Feb. 18. Montgomery finished the third heat in 52.20.
The bronze medal in the men’s skeleton event went to Russia’s Alexander Tretyakov, who had a total time of 3:30.75.
Martins Dukurs’ brother Tomass finished fourth overall with a time of 3:31.13.
A total of 28 athletes competed in the event.
Martins Dukurs’ silver is Latvia’s second in the Olympics. Brothers Andris and Juris Šics earned a silver in the men’s double luge event on Feb. 17.
Andris Straumanis is editor of Latvians Online.
