Five Latvian skeleton athletes are likely to compete in the Youth Olympics

He is sorry that after this competition the annual spring work on the Sigulda track on the ice has not been successful.

“I had made new skates very quickly, but since the bobsleigh and sledge track “Sigulda” is run from Riga by SIA “Latvijas Nācīnālais sporta centrs”, the track was closed early. It was minus 15 degrees outside at night, minus ten during the day, and at that time it was also children’s vacation,” Dukurs does not hide his disappointment.

“I would have trained properly, but so quickly – on March 9 – the track was closed for the first time. First it was announced that the track would be closed on February 19. Then I realized that even the Latvian luge championship has not been held yet,” says the coach, saying that usually until the track is available until the end of March.

Now the technical search and driving on the track must be postponed until autumn. March is good for driving, because the nights are cold, the days are sunny, but during the school holidays you can drive during daylight hours, not after hours, explains the skeleton specialist.

In the middle of April, young people already started training for the new season.

“Now the medals and places from the previous season must be put aside, a new line must be drawn from which to start preparing for their big event – the Youth Olympics. The fact that we started well in South Korea does not mean anything, now everything will start again,” says Dukurs about the new season.

The Youth Olympiad will take place from January 19 to February 2. Before that, the young skeletonists plan to participate in matches in Winterberg and possibly Eagles.

Dukurs says that the Skeleton Academy also has older athletes who wanted to take them to the World Junior Championship and the European Junior Championship last season, but there were not so many funds. It has been postponed until next season.

“We are not ready for the World Cup yet. As if we could have raced in Sigulda during the World Cup, but we didn’t because we are still too green and young,” says the coach.

“We still have to study and work. When we have grown up, someone will be able to compete in the World Cup, and if we have a good development, maybe someone will be destined to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy,” Dukurs looks ahead.

To achieve good results, as shown by the example of Martin and Thomas Dukur, a good start is needed, and this summer a lot of work will be done to improve physical fitness.