Winter Olympics 2026: Two Tobis, one mission – Germany’s luge double sensations race for Olympic history
Chasing a wider slice of Olympic history
Milano Cortina 2026 also carries a broader statistical context for Wendl and Arlt. Each arrived at these Games with six Olympic gold medals, built through three men’s doubles titles since 2014 and three consecutive victories in the team relay. That places them in rare company within Winter Olympic sport.
The benchmark they could move towards is among the most exclusive in Winter Olympic history: eight gold medals, a tally achieved by only three athletes — cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen, the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, as well as Ole Einar Bjørndalen and Bjørn Dæhlie, whose careers defined eras in biathlon and cross-country skiing, respectively.
For Wendl and Arlt, reaching that figure would depend on results across more than one event in Cortina, including the team relay. As with any Olympic milestone, opportunity exists alongside uncertainty, particularly in a discipline where outcomes are often decided by fractions of a second.
The immediate focus, however, remains the men’s doubles competition, which begins today (Wednesday, 11 February at 17:51 CET) Cortina Sliding Centre. For a partnership that has already reshaped the event’s Olympic history, the next chapter will be written not in records alone, but on the ice.
