Latvia wins first medal at Sochi Winter Olympics

Latvia has won its first medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Brothers, Andris and Juris Sics won bronze in the Luge Doubles event on Jan. 12.

The German duo - Tobias Wendl and Tobia Artl, earned the gold medal, while the Lingers from Austria (Andreas and Wolfgang) - the silver.

The Sics were "aided" in winning the bronze by a mishap on the track for the Austrian pair (Peter Penz and Georg Fischler). They were in third place after the first run, and were poised to take a place on the podium until fate struck.

The pair have been congratulated by Latvian officials back home. Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said the win would cause Latvia's name to echo across the world.

"We will hear more about Latvia in Sochi", said the prime minister.

Meanwhile, one of Latvia's most popular pop/rock bands Brainstorm (Prata Vetra) will perform at the Sochi Olympics this evening.

The band will perform on the Olympic Village's main stage.

The initiative to invite the band did not come from the Latvian Olympic Committee but by the organizers of the Olympics, as "Brainstorm" is a well-known band in Russia.

The Olympic Village also has a "Latvian house", where Latvian entrepreneurs, artists and athletes present themselves and speak with the international audience by organizing various events and concerts.