The Latvian mixed doubles wheelchair curling team Poļina Rožkova and Agris Lasmans are moving with full vigor towards the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympic Games, where they are predicted not only to perform convincingly, but also have real opportunities to fight for medals. In a conversation with LSM.lv, the athletes admitted that insufficient funding creates significant obstacles in the preparation process, as both the amount of training and participation in important competitions are limited.
IN BRIEF:
In 2023, the Latvian wheelchair curling duo Rožkova and Lasmans caused a real sensation in the Canadian city of Richmond by winning the world championship title. With this triumph, they became the first Latvian curling team to ever reach the podium in the highest division.
The victory in the championship became a clear confirmation of the ambitions of both athletes, and at that moment it was clear that they not only rank among the main favorites for the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, but also confirm that Latvian wheelchair curling has the strength to compete at the world level.
Financial brakes on progress
In preparation for the Milan-Cortina matches, Rozhkova and Lasmans want to increase the amount of training, but currently the possibilities are limited. “We only have three to four training sessions a week. I would like it to be more often,” Rozhkova admitted. “We need to work more on both standard and non-standard situations and develop the tactical side.”
Individual work is also very important, but its organization is determined by the working time and schedule of the curling hall, which often overlaps with team training. “As soon as the opportunity arises, we will use it,” revealed Rozhkova.
The main goal of athletes is to reach a level of fitness in which all tasks are performed with eyes closed. They are aware that they still have to grow until then and that is not achievable without additional time on the ice.
Polina Rozhkova and Agris Lasmans in 2024 at the world championship Photo: Ansis Ventiņš
The need for training conflicts with reality – it is determined not only by the workload of the hall, but also by the lack of finances. Although the Latvian Paralympic Committee (LPK) was granted an additional 99,490 euros in preparation for the Games in the summer, Rozhkova stressed that this amount was the only available funding to be divided between the three sports.
State funding does not cover the costs of training camps, and due to insufficient funds, the team has not been paid since the beginning of August. “Now we are unemployed. We mostly train in the middle of the day, because that’s when the ice is the cheapest, so it’s impossible to combine it with work. Even if we could find a part-time job, we still wouldn’t be able to – training usually lasts from two to four o’clock,” Rozhkova explained.
Despite the efforts of the Paralympic Committee and the athletes themselves to attract supporters, the success so far has been negligible.
Rozhkova and Lasman actively approached potential sponsors, sent offers to local companies and used acquaintances, but these efforts did not yield the expected results.
As a vivid contrast to the situation in Latvia, Rožkova points to Estonia, where the curling hall, thanks to the support of the state and local government, operates from early morning until late at night. It is equipped with three lanes and new stone sets worth €48,000, identical to those that will be used in the Milan-Cortina race. One thing is clear – Latvia has room to grow.
Mistakes are a preparation tool
This season, Rožkova and Lasmans have participated in three international tournaments – in Scotland, Estonia and Latvia. The roller curling duo climbed onto the podium in both Scotland and Estonia, winning silver medals, but the team finished seventh in the home tournament.
Rožkova revealed that she managed to read the ice abroad faster than in Latvia, while emphasizing that she does not focus too much on the results. “The main start will be in Cortina. This competition is a preparation, and we analyze in detail the mistakes we make now. Mistakes are the path of our growth,” the athlete added.
For this reason, the Riga tournament held in November, which gathered 16 teams from different countries, including two Latvian couples, was also of great importance. The conditions of the competition created unexpected challenges – the ice was re-poured and the stones were prepared differently than in daily training. “At the moment we are playing on fairly straight ice, but it was very slippery there, so we were not better informed than the other teams,” said Rozhkova.
In the tournament at home, Rozhkova also felt more nervous, whereas Lasmans is able to keep calm regardless of the venue of the competition.
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“To him [Lasmanam] everywhere is good,” laughs Rozhkova. The duo praised the organizational side of the event, highlighting LPK’s help in attracting supporters, as well as the initiative itself in finding volunteers for the tournament.
Until the Paralympics, athletes will still need to adjust their equipment, as curling stone handles tend to vary. The Latvian team found this problem at the Estonian tournament – the usual tips turned out to be too wide for the handles used in the competition.
Taking into account the financial constraints, the planned start in the Czech Republic for the Latvians in January will be cancelled. Most likely, it will be replaced by a short trip to Tallinn, where it is planned to try the most suitable tips. The competition calendar currently includes two more tournaments in December in Poland and in late January in Italy.
Rhythm determines the result
The sportsmen’s cooperation with coach Arni Veidemanis is very close – he is an integral part of the team. “I can’t think of any other coach right now who could be better. We were lucky that he agreed to work with us,” noted Rozhkova.
Veidemanis provides the team with tactical and technical knowledge, and also helps maintain focus. Although negative emotions sometimes arise during the games, there is a friendly and productive atmosphere during the training process.
Polina Rozhkova and Agris Lasmans with coach Arni Veidemani (center) Photo: From Polina Rozhkova’s personal archive
In the discipline of mixed pairs, one of the keys to success is the ability to mutually adapt to each other’s moods and rhythms. Rozhkova said that most of the games are easy and calm, but sometimes you can feel temporary tension or dissatisfaction on the ice. Despite the difficulties, she reminds you that you just have to accept the situation and keep working.
“In general, our wheelchair curling family is so small. Of course, we want to be friends both on and off the ice, but the main thing is professional work. Ideally, we leave all emotions behind the door and focus on the common work,” Rozhkova explained. “The pressure and financial conditions are a challenge, but the key is to find supportive communication within the team.”
Mental resilience is also important, so the team is assisted by a sports psychologist.
Rozhkova believes that the overall stress level in doubles is higher than in the big curling team, because each shot has a lot of value and the game is made up of the stationary stones that are already there.
An intense battle awaits in Cortina
Eight teams will compete in the Paralympic Games in the wheelchair curling mixed pairs discipline: Italy, South Korea, USA, China, Japan, Great Britain, Estonia and Latvia. Rozhkova emphasized that all the competitors are very strong and predicting the favorites is difficult, because in curling one single shot can turn the game upside down.
“If I had to make bets, I couldn’t say who will get into the top three. The level of pair wheelchair curling has grown in recent years,” admitted the athlete, adding that the upcoming competition promises to be extremely intense.
Polina Rozhkova and Agris Lasmans at the 2025 World Championship in Scotland Photo: Ansis Ventiņš
In addition, the specifics of the hall also create uncertainty – the entrance is located close to the ice tracks, and the large windows can negatively affect the quality of the ice. Given that the 2025 World Cup was moved to Scotland,
The Latvian team has not trained in the Kortīna hall yet, so the exact conditions will be known only on the spot.
Despite these challenges, Rožkova and Lasman’s main goal is to perform at their best and remain calm. “I really hope that we will be able to just go out on the ice, show our best shots and keep a calm mindset. This is the most important thing so that we don’t start stressing,” explained Rozhkova.
She also hopes to enjoy the scenery of the competition venue – a view surrounded by mountains, which athletes rarely experience in their everyday life, as most tournaments take place in a gloomy autumn environment. As the big kick-off approaches, the team plans to distance themselves from social media to avoid excess emotion and maintain maximum concentration.
During the competition, the main thing is to work on the ice and analyze the results only afterwards, because it is not a leisure trip, but serious work, Rožkova pointed out.
The Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 6 to 15, with para-athletes competing for 79 sets of medals. The first starts for wheelchair curlers will take place a few days before the opening of the games.
