Latvia and the 2024 Olympic Games
As the 2024 Paris Olympic Games kicked off last week, here is a presentation of the athletes representing Latvia.
The smallest delegation in Latvian history
The Latvian delegation to the 33rd Olympic Games includes 29 athletes. It is the smallest delegation ever sent by Latvia to the Olympics since Independence. The biggest Latvian delegations in history included 47 athletes – in Beijing 2008 and Atlanta 1996.
In total, Latvia will be represented in 14 disciplines at the Paris Olympic Games. If some athletes are already world-known, some others will take part in their first Olympic Games.
Who are the Latvian Olympians?
While Latvia did not send a male team for basketball, the country will be represented at the basketball 3×3 competition. Nauris Miezis and Karlis Pauls Lasmanis, both often ranked in the world top 3, earned a bronze medal at last year’s World Cup.
Tina Graudina and Anastasia Samoilova will compete in the beach volleyball tournament. The duo ranked 9th in the world for female beach volleyball. In the 2021 Olympics, they ended up in 4th place, and they are hoping to break their record by reaching the podium in Paris 2024.
After her Wimbledon Grand Slam, during which she took part in the quarter-finals, Alona Ostapenko, considered to be among the 20 best female tennis players, will represent Latvia in her sport. The 27-year-old tennis player is among the highest-ranked athletes for the Paris Olympic Games.
Latvia will also be well represented in athleticism. Javelin-thrower Lina Muze-Sirma, aged 32, reached 64.78 meters during the last Latvian Championships, while triple jumper Ruta Kate Lasman managed to clear 14.47 meters at the last US Indoor Student championships.
Others athletes include weightlifter Ritvars Suharevs, cyclers Toms Skujiņš, Anastasija Karbonāri, Mārtiņš Blūms, Ernests Zēbolds, Veronika Monika Stūriška and Kristens Krīgers. Latvia will also be represented in shooting, swimming and equestrian sports.
To find out more about the Latvian athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, you can read the Latvian delegation page here.
This article was brought to you by Theo, currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz Riga.
Featured image is a screenshot from the Opening Ceremony (France 2).
