Biography
Started: He took up Para athletics in 1998, specialising in shot put and discus. (Historical Dictionary of Latvia, 2017; Athlete, 18 Sep 2016)
Reason: He was initially encouraged to get involved in sport by his mother. Later he met coach Aldis Supulnieks, who encouraged him to try athletics. Several years later he began training seriously. (la.lv, 04 Feb 2020; iena.lv, 09 Nov 2015)
Milestones: He is one of three Para athletics competitors [alongside Thailand's Prawat Wahoram and Great Britain's Dan Greaves] to have won a medal at all six Paralympic Games from 2000 to 2020. (SportsDeskOnline, 02 Jul 2024)
He won Latvia's first Paralympic gold medal when he triumphed in the men's F52 discus at the 2004 Games in Athens. (SportsDeskOnline, 02 Jul 2024)
He was one of two Latvian athletes to win the NPC's first Paralympic medals when he claimed bronze in both the men's F52 shot put and F52 discus at the 2000 Games in Sydney, while his compatriot Armands Lizbovskis claimed bronze in the men's T13 long jump in Sydney. (SportsDeskOnline, 02 Jul 2024)
Awards: He was named Latvian Male Para Athlete of the Year for 2023 at the Three Star Awards. (jauns.lv, 18 Jan 2024)
He and Para archer Ieva Melle were named as flag bearers for Latvia for the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (lsm.lv, 09 Aug 2021)
In 2012 the Latvian Government Organisation of Sport named him the Latvian Male Athlete of the Year for winning a gold and a silver medal at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (sportacentrs.com, 28 Dec 2012)
In 2012 he was named the Best Paralympic Athlete of Riga in Latvia. (bjssridzene.lv, 19 Dec 2012)
In 2006 he was named the Athlete of the Year in Ogre, Latvia, and was awarded the Latvian Paralympic Committee's Sport Laureate. (aigarsapinis.lv, 17 Sep 2008)
Additional Info: OTHER ACTIVITIES
He has served as vice president of the Latvian Paralympic Committee and as president of the Latvian Sports Federation for Persons with Disabilities. (Facebook profile, 19 Jan 2024; apollo.lv, 29 Oct 2020; sportamuzejs.lv, 01 Mar 2016)
Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Details
GenderMale
Birth DateJune 9, 1973
Place of ResidenceRIGA
OccupationSports Administrator
Languages SpokenLatvian, Russian
Highlights
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralympic Games | ||||
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 20.83 |
| 1 | Men's Shot Put F52/53 | 2012 | London, GBR | 10.23 |
| 1 | Men's Discus Throw F33/34/52 | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 20.47 |
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 18.98 |
| 2 | Men's Discus Throw F51/52/53 | 2012 | London, GBR | 21.00 |
| 2 | Men's Shot Put F33/34/52 | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 10.02 |
| 3 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 19.54 |
| 3 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | 15.12 |
| 3 | Men's Shot Put F52 | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | 7.15 |
| 4 | Men's Shot Put F52 | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 8.21 |
| DNS | Discus Throw - F53 | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | DNS |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2023 | Paris, FRA | 20.46 |
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2019 | Dubai, UAE | 21.05 |
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2015 | Doha, QAT | 21.44 |
| 1 | Men's Shot Put F52/53 | 2013 | Lyon, FRA | 10.23 |
| 1 | Men's Discus Throw F51/52/53 | 2011 | Christchurch, NZL | 20.88 |
| 1 | Men's Shot Put F52/53 | 2011 | Christchurch, NZL | 10.03 |
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2006 | Assen, NED | 19.44 |
| 1 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2002 | Lille, FRA | 15.80 |
| 2 | Discus Throw - F52 | 2017 | London, GBR | 21.95 |
| 3 | Men's Discus Throw F51/52/53 | 2013 | Lyon, FRA | 21.06 |
| 3 | Men's Shot Put F52 | 2006 | Assen, NED | 8.69 |
| 4 | Men's Shot Put F52 | 2002 | Lille, FRA | 7.38 |
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