Lochner Completes Bobsleigh Career with Olympic Gold in Cortina
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – Johannes Lochner (GER) cemented his legacy as a bobsleigh great, winning gold in both the two-man and four-man events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The two-man victory, secured on February 17th at the Eugenio Monti Olympic Sliding Center, marked his first Olympic gold medal, adding to his previous silver medals from the 2022 Beijing Games.
German Dominance in Two-Man Bobsleigh
Lochner and his push athlete, Georg Fleischhauer, finished 1.34 seconds ahead of the competition – a margin equivalent to over 40 meters – to claim the two-man title. Francesco Friedrich, the Olympic champion in 2-man bobsleigh in both 2018 and 2022, took silver alongside Alexander Schüller. This silver medal was Friedrich’s fourth Olympic gold and one silver, tying the Olympic record for bobsleigh pilots previously held by André Lange.
Ammour Secures Bronze for Germany
Adam Ammour and Alexander Schaller completed a German sweep of the podium, securing the bronze medal with a time 1.82 seconds behind the leaders. This was Ammour’s first Olympic appearance and a significant achievement for the 24-year-old, who was the 2024 European Champion in two-man bobsleigh.
U.S. And Romanian Performances
The United States team of Frank Del Duca and Joshua Williamson finished fourth, even as Mihai Tentea and George Iordache from Romania surprised many with a fifth-place finish, posting the third-best time in the second run. Michael Vogt and Amadou Ndiaye from Switzerland finished sixth.
Lochner’s Four-Man Triumph and Retirement
Building on his two-man success, Lochner capped his career with a gold medal in the four-man event on February 22nd, finishing 0.57 seconds ahead of Francesco Friedrich. This victory came shortly after Lochner announced his retirement from the sport. Switzerland secured the bronze medal in the four-man event, marking their first four-man bobsled medal in 20 years.
Germany’s Medal Haul
Germany’s dominance at the Milan Cortina Games was undeniable, securing a total of eight bobsled medals. Across all three sliding sports – bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge – Germany amassed an impressive 19 medals, significantly outpacing all other nations.
Sources: IBSF, ESPN, Wikipedia, Reuters