Russian luger Pavel Repilov set for Olympic debut
At the 2026 Olympics in Italy, 23-year-old Russian luger Pavel Repilov will start his first senior Olympic Games. MSK1.RU shares what is known about him.
Childhood and family
Pavel was born on July 16, 2002, into a sports family in Dmitrov, Moscow Oblast. His older brother Roman was already deeply into luge, later becoming a three-time world champion. The younger brother followed in his footsteps.
Pavel took his first steps on the ice at age six on the track in Paramonovo, Moscow Oblast. Recalling that time, he smiled as he told how his mother would lug heavy sledges for him and his twin sister.
«There is a very vivid childhood memory when we weren»t allowed to ride yet, but at six we were doing it in Paramonovo, Moscow Oblast. Mom would drag our sledges. We started from the lowest start points. The car couldn«t get to other start points because it wasn»t far to ride. And so mom would drag us along with those sledges,« Repilov recalled.
Luge became a family affair. But there was no rivalry between the brothers, only support. Pavel said many times that for him and Roman, family ties are what matter.
«We are family. If he wins, I»m happy; if I win, he«s happy. If we both win, that»s absolutely great. We exchange information. We have the same sled but different settings,« Pavel said in an interview with Match TV.
From junior success to adult challenges
Pavel progressed quickly under his first coach, Olga Ryabova. His finest hour at the junior level came in 2020 at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne. There he won silver in the individual event, losing to the winner by just 0.184 seconds, and gold in the team relay.
«Upset? Well, maybe just a little. After all, my career is just really beginning,» Repilov wisely remarked in an interview after taking second place.
The transition to senior sports coincided with a difficult time. His debut at the World Championships in 2021 was derailed by a head injury sustained during qualification. Soon after, Russian athletes were suspended from international competitions. For several years, only domestic starts remained as an arena for Pavel and his colleagues. During this period, he confirmed his class, becoming Russian champion twice — in 2022 and 2023.
The chance to compete for a trip to Italy came only at the end of 2025, when Pavel received neutral status and the right to participate in the selection. He had to quickly earn the necessary points at World Cup stages. The starts were tough: 25th place in Cortina d«Ampezzo, Italy, and 17th in Lake Placid, USA. But that was enough. By the end of December, having scored 40 points, he overtook his nearest Russian rival and earned an Olympic license.
Brother in pretrial detention
This success was overshadowed by events in his personal life. His older brother and main mentor, 29-year-old Roman Repilov, who was supposed to be his competitor and support on this path, was arrested at the end of 2025 on a criminal case.
Three-time world champion Roman Repilov is accused of fraud related to the purchase of sports equipment. A court hearing is scheduled for February 20, 2026, during the Olympics.
Pavel will have to compete at his first Games without the person who has always been there. He had previously said it would be interesting to compete together with his brother at a senior Olympics.
«Roma always gives valuable advice on technical work, the sled, and the features of this or that track — after all, he has traveled all over the world. And during the Youth Olympics, my brother called to distract me, to relieve excessive nervous tension. So he deserves credit for my medals. I don»t want to jinx it, but it would be interesting to compete with my brother at a senior Olympics,« the younger Repilov said in an interview.
What awaits Pavel at the 2026 Olympic Games
Pavel Repilov goes to the Olympics not as a debutant who spent several years in forced isolation from the world leaders of luge. The competition promises to be tough. The athlete himself, however, has always had a healthy outlook and the ability to work for the future. For the 23-year-old luger, whose career, in his own words, is just beginning, the main starts may still lie ahead.
