Andriy Mandziy — gold in Winterberg and a step toward Olympic berths for Ukraine
Mandziya's victory at the Nations Cup is not just a medal. It confirms consistent form and is an important contribution to the fight for quota spots for Milan–Cortina 2026. We examine why the result in Winterberg deserves attention.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
January 9, 2026 · 2 min read
Victory in Winterberg — facts and figures
Ukrainian luger Andriy Mandziy won the Nations Cup gold in Winterberg, Germany, ahead of the 5th stage of the World Cup. The athlete completed the run in the men's singles sleds in 53.289 seconds, beating Slovak Josef Ninis by 0.140 seconds. Information — according to the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and UNN.
Why this matters for Ukraine
This victory is more than an individual triumph. First, it is Mandziy’s second medal of the season (earlier — bronze in December), which indicates consistent form. Second, the results in Winterberg bring the Ukrainian team closer to the final allocation of Olympic quotas: the 5th stage of the World Cup (10–11 January) will be decisive in matters of qualification for Milan–Cortina 2026. For fans, this means that every successful start today is a potential additional quota tomorrow.
Comments from participants
"It was a confident run, although the time turned out to be a second slower than yesterday’s training. Due to the heavy snowfall the track feels completely different, and adapting to such changing conditions is not easy. However, today I managed to do it. I take real pleasure in competing at the Nations Cup — for us every start is extremely important, so this victory means a lot to me."
— Andriy Mandziy, Ukrainian national team luger
"Congratulations to Andriy and everyone involved in the success! We wish all our athletes fast ice and victorious seconds at the finish!"
— National Olympic Committee of Ukraine (official post)
Context: weather, cancellations and what’s next
Due to heavy snowfall the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) canceled the skeleton stage in Winterberg, creating additional uncertainty in the schedule. For Mandziy and the Ukrainian team, the key event remains the 5th stage of the World Cup on 10–11 January — that is where the final Olympic quotas will be decided.
Brief conclusion
The victory in Winterberg is a signal: Ukrainian sliding sport is showing increased competitiveness that could affect the number of Olympic quotas. The next real test is open and measurable: performances at the 5th stage of the World Cup, after which chances for Milan–Cortina 2026 will become clearer.
