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Estonia's Unlikely Trio Qualifies for Milan-Cortina Olympics
Estonian mixed doubles curling pair Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill, alongside teenage Nordic combined skier Robert Teder and Latvian-born skeleton racer Darta Zunte, have secured their places at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics after a series of decisive late-season performances.
- —Estonian mixed doubles curling pair Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill have qualified for the Milan-Cortina Olympics after nearly a decade of pursuit, despite recent form fluctuations.
- —Teenager Robert Teder has secured a spot in the Nordic combined event at the Olympics, qualifying through the Continental Cup and aiming for a top-ten finish in the team sprint.
- —Darta Zunte, a Latvian-born skeleton athlete representing Estonia, has qualified for her debut Olympics, securing the final spot in the quota and achieving her best career results this season.
- —Kaldvee and Lill, despite not having recent podium finishes, draw confidence from past World Championship performances where strong results followed less successful preceding tournaments.
- —Zunte, who switched allegiance to Estonia in 2022 due to her Estonian heritage, is the sole Estonian athlete in skeleton and has been the top Baltic performer in the World Cup this season.
Recap
Estonia's Olympic qualifications in curling, skeleton, and Nordic combined signal a broadening of the nation's competitive winter sports portfolio. The success, achieved through a mix of veteran persistence, emerging youth talent, and an athlete who switched national allegiance, highlights multiple pathways to elite competition and enhances Estonia's international sporting profile.