ALTENBERG, Germany (AP) — Francesco Friedrich of Germany is now the most decorated driver in the history of bobsledding’s world championships, winning his record-setting 10th gold medal on Sunday.
Friedrich and brakeman Thorsten Margis finished off an easy win in the two-man event, completing their four runs in 3 minutes, 40.44 seconds. That was 1.65 seconds faster than silver medalists Johannes Lochner and Christopher Weber of Germany — and represented the biggest winning margin at a world title race in bobsled in 12 years.
Latvia got the bronze, with Oskars Kibermanis and Matiss Miknis finishing 1.79 seconds behind Friedrich.
“Franz is racing in a whole other league,” German driver Nico Walther said.
Friedrich now has won the two-man world title six consecutive times. He’s a two-time world champion in four-man and has two other golds from overall team events. Before Sunday, he was tied with Italian pilot Eugenio Monti for the most world bobsled gold medals; Monti won nine in the 1950s and 1960s.
Hunter Church and Josh Williamson finished 19th for the U.S. They were the lone American sled in the field.
Worlds continue next weekend with championships in men’s skeleton, women’s skeleton and four-man events.