Latvia secured its first-ever medal at a Winter Paralympic Games on Tuesday, claiming bronze in the mixed doubles wheelchair curling event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. The Latvian duo of Poļina Rožkova and Agris Lasmans defeated the United States 11-10 in an extra finish to secure the third-place finish.
The match, a tightly contested affair, saw Latvia capitalize on a crucial final shot to edge out the American pair. The victory marks a significant milestone for Latvian Paralympic sport, representing the nation’s first medal in Winter Paralympic competition since first participating in 1994.
Rožkova and Lasmans entered the competition as one of the favorites, having won gold at the 2023 World Championship – a title that brought glory to the Baltic nation. They were one of only two pairs to compete in all four World Championships leading up to the Milano Cortina Games. The pair had initially qualified for two tournaments in Cortina, but due to scheduling conflicts, chose to focus on the debut mixed doubles discipline.
Latvia is competing at the 2026 Winter Paralympics with a delegation of seven athletes – three men and four women – participating in wheelchair curling. The nation too fielded a mixed team, led by Sergejs Djačenko, which did not advance beyond the group stage, finishing with a 2-10 record.
The Latvian Paralympic Committee announced Rožkova and Lasmans as the nation’s flag bearers for the Games on February 18, 2026, a symbolic recognition of their prominence within the Latvian team. Rožkova previously led Latvia’s wheelchair curling team at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, marking the country’s return to the event after a 16-year absence.
Latvia’s mixed team faced opposition from Korea, Slovakia, Sweden, Canada, and the United States during the group stage. The mixed doubles team competed against the United States, Netherlands, Great Britain, Estonia, Italy, Korea, and Japan before reaching the bronze medal final.
The World Curling Federation has been providing coverage of the Latvian teams’ progress throughout the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, highlighting the nation’s growing presence in the sport.
