BEIJING (AP) 鈥� Germany鈥檚 Johannes Ludwig, Austria鈥檚 Wolfgang Kindl or Italy鈥檚 Dominik Fischnaller will more than likely be the Olympic men鈥檚 luge champion on Sunday.
At least, that鈥檚 what history says.
Ludwig, Kindl and Fischnaller were the leaders after Saturday鈥檚 first two runs at the Yanqing Sliding Center, and that鈥檚 a very good omen for them. There have been 15 previous Olympic men鈥檚 luge competitions; in all 15, the eventual gold medalist has been no worse than third after the first two heats.
Ludwig, this season鈥檚 World Cup champion, finished his two runs in 1 minute, 54.501 seconds. He knows he鈥檚 two runs from gold, though wanted no part of discussing what an Olympic victory would mean.
鈥淚 will see tomorrow,鈥� Ludwig said. 鈥淚 think it would be another big point of my career, but it鈥檚 not happened yet. That鈥檚 why we鈥檒l talk tomorrow about this, OK?鈥�
Kindl finished in 1:54.540 and Fischnaller in 1:54.805.
鈥淚鈥檝e never been in this position after the first day,鈥� Fischnaller said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about that, to be honest. We鈥檒l go back to the village, have dinner, tomorrow morning we鈥檒l prepare the sled again 鈥� and then it鈥檚 go time.鈥�
Felix Loch, the two-time Olympic men鈥檚 champion from Germany, was in fourth, just behind Fischnaller in 1:54.883. Latvia鈥檚 Kristers Aparjods (1:54.961) rounded out the top five.
鈥淚 like close racing,鈥� U.S. luge veteran Chris Mazdzer said. 鈥淐lose racing is so important. A lot of times this year, it hasn鈥檛 been close racing. It looks like a 1-2 showdown and that bronze is still anybody鈥檚 game. It鈥檚 pretty awesome.鈥�
Mazdzer 鈥� the 2018 Olympic silver medalist who was a bit shaken up after a training crash Friday that kept him from walking in the opening ceremony 鈥� is the top American at the midway point, sitting ninth and two spots ahead of Tucker West. Jonny Gustafson, making his Olympic debut, is 18th going into Sunday鈥檚 final runs of the competition.
Mazdzer and West have emerged as the frontrunners for the men鈥檚 spot in the U.S. entry for the team relay, a race where the Americans believe they can win a medal.
鈥淭he goal has always been to make the relay, to try to have the better chance to medal in that,鈥� West said.
Defending Olympic gold medalist David Gleirscher of Austria is eighth, more than a second off the lead.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big gap,鈥� Gleirscher said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big challenge for everybody to have four good runs. ... I think not much is possible now.鈥�
For some, the competition was over before it started. There were 35 men who were entered into the Olympic field; only 34 made it to the starting line. Italy鈥檚 Kevin Fischnaller 鈥� Dominik Fischnaller鈥檚 cousin 鈥� learned Thursday that his Olympics were over because of a positive COVID-19 test.
For others, victory has nothing to do with results.
The Kumaritashvili family of Georgia now, finally, has seen one of their own compete in an Olympic luge race, with Saba Kumaritashvili 鈥� 鈥� is 30th at the midway point.
And Poland鈥檚 Mateusz Sochowicz, who was badly injured in a crash on the Yanqing track in November 鈥� 鈥� is sitting in 27th place, facing long odds to get to a fourth run on Sunday. Only the top 20 after the third run will move to the final heat.
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Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
