Ieva Annija Stepiņa — Latvian champion in the shot put in the U18 age group

On 8 and 9 February, the Latvian Winter Athletics Championships for the U18 and U20 age groups took place at the Kuldīga Athletics Arena. 

An excellent achievement by our best track-and-field athlete, Ieva Annija Stepiņa, who won the Latvian championship title in the U18 shot put with a result of 13.16 metres—just 2 cm short of Ieva’s personal best.  Ieva is currently studying at the Murjāņi Sports Gymnasium, and her main discipline is the javelin throw, but this does not prevent her from also achieving excellent results in the shot put. 

Beāte Stivriniece also deserves praise for winning seventh place in the triple jump with a new personal best of 10.35 metres. Also competing in the Latvian U18 Championships were Loreta Štoferte (60 m — 8.69 sec.), Nauris Smirnovs (shot put — 11.69 m), and in the U20 group, Rihards Jakobovics (high jump — 1.70 m) and Tomass Perera (60 m — 7.69 sec.). Coaches: I. Matīss and A. Gross.

On 6 February, the Talsi Sports School’s open athletics competition for the U16 age group took place at the Talsi Athletics Arena, with several students from our children’s and youth sports school also competing. 

Two medals were won: silver in the shot put by Dita Hadaņonoka with a result of 9.90 metres, and bronze by Jānis Celitāns in the 60 m hurdles with a result of 11.61 sec. Also competing in Talsi were Sīdžejs Neimanis, Viestards Kvite, Emīls Karņickis, Roberts Vismanis and Austris Vilmanis. Coaches: A. Gross and I. Matīss.

 All results can be found on the LVS website: www.athletics.lv.

Our basketball teams also played several games last week as part of the LJBL Latvian Championship. 

On 4 February, our U14 and U15 boys played away against teams from Saldus. The U14 boys lost 37:56 (Doniņš 9 points, R. Neimands and D. Tropiņš 7 points each, R. Pūliņš and U. Āboliņš 6 points each, M. Rasmanis 2 points, M. Brikovs, K. Samiņš, Zariņš, R. Kuskovs). Coach: I. Bambis. Our U15 boys also suffered a defeat, losing 68:74 (K. Kazaks 25 points, E. Ezerkalns 16 points, M. Ersts 9 points, K. Grunte 5 points, R. Neimands and K. Doniņš 3 points each, V. Botmanis, D. Tropiņš, K. Samiņš). Coach: J. Bambis.

On 7 February, games against the Pārdaugava and Ķeizars/Rīga teams took place at the Kandava Sports Hall. First, the U14 boys played against the Pārdaugava 2 team and won 57:55 (R. Neimands 18 points, K. Doniņš 14 points, K. Samiņš 11 points, M. Rasmanis 9 points, D. Tropiņš 3 points, N. Indriksons 2 points, Zariņš, R. Pūliņš, M. Brikovs, U. Āboliņš, R. Kuskovs).  In the second game, the boys in the same age group lost to the Pārdaugava 1 team 16:89 (K. Doniņš 6 points, K. Samiņš 5 points, R. Neimands 3 points, R. Kuskovs 2 points).  Our U19 youth team convincingly defeated Ķeizars/Rīga 76:47 (K. Eņģelis 34 points, R. Bērziņš 17 points, O. Zaiļskis 15 points, K. Kazaks 4 points, R. Paņižņiks 3 points, R. Segliņš 2 points, Ģ. Celms 1 point, M. Līkums, R. Kalniņš). Coach: I. Bambis.

On 9 and 10 February, our U13 boys’ team had its latest tournament. This time, the games were held at the Ķekava Sports Centre. Four games were played in total, with the following results: Kandava — Kuldīga 49:37, Kandava — VEF2/Rīga 34:37, Kandava — Daugavpils 38:33, Kandava — Rīdzene/Rīga 42:21 (D. Tropiņš, K. Samiņš, R. Kuskovs, E. Dūdelis, P. Sniedziņš, N. Indriksons, T. Ķilps, K. Rozentāls, R. Pūliņš, E. Kreicbergs). Coach: J. Bambis.