Langenhan wins luge gold
Max Langenhan is Germany’s first 2026 Olympic champion. The reigning luge world champion set a new track record, despite suffering from a stiff neck. And he’s not the only German medalist, either.
Cortina d'Ampezzo (dpa) – Following an impressive record-breaking performance at 130 kilometres an hour, the reigning luge world champion Max Langenhan won Germany’s first gold medal at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, despite suffering from a stiff neck. Setting four track records in four runs, Max Langenhan spread his arms at the end of his final tour de force and cried tears of joy as he reached the end of the ice channel. “The medal does feel a bit heavy. I have pretty bad neck problems,” an overjoyed Max Langenhan said after his victory.
The 26-year-old beat the silver medalist Jonas Müller from Austria by 0.596 seconds. The Italian Dominik Fischnaller came third in the men’s singles event, just as in 2022 in Beijing.
On Sunday, the German alpine ski racer Emma Aicher won a silver medal on the Piste Olimpia delle Tofan in Cortina d'Ampezzo. “My phone is struggling to cope,” the 22-year-old said, referring to the great number of people wishing to congratulate her on coming second in the Olympic ski race.
The German biathlon team also had a great start to the Olympic Winter Games, winning bronze in the mixed relay competition in Antholz. Justus Strelow, Philipp Nawrath, Vanessa Voigt and Franziska Preuß won Germany’s first ever Olympic medal in this discipline.
