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On January 11, Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) President Jānis Buks announced at the Team Latvia presentation event that the flag bearers of the Latvian delegation will be represented at the Winter Youth Olympic Games, which will take place from January 19 to February will be 1 in Gangwon, South Korea, will be Amēlija Kotāne and Olivers Mūrnieks.
Bobsledder Amēlija Kotāne is the youngest in the Latvian delegation to the Youth Olympic Games, but her list of achievements to date already includes 2nd place at the Omega Youth Series in Lillehammer, Norway, as well as 2nd and 3rd places at the Youth Olympic Games Omega Youth Series in Innsbruck, Austria in the monobob discipline. Amēlija Kotāne is not only a representative of winter sports, but also actively trains in athletics and won the title of Latvian champion in the U14 age group in the 60 m indoor hurdles in 2022. The athlete comes from a family full of sporting traditions – her father Kristaps Kotāns will accompany her to South Korea as a coach, her grandfather Rihards Kotāns was a participant in the Winter Olympics in bobsleigh as both an athlete and a coach.
“I didn’t expect to be entrusted with the honor of flag bearer today, it was a bit of a shock and I’m definitely honored for this opportunity.” I got into bobsleigh thanks to my father. At first I didn’t like it very much, but over time, after trying other tracks, I really like it now and the results that have improved show that,” says flag bearer Amelia Kotāne.
Olivers Mūrnieks is the captain of the Latvian U16 3×3 ice hockey team. The young athlete is already playing in the Latvian adult Virsliga championship as part of Mogo/LSPA and is one of the candidates for the Latvian U18 ice hockey team.
“A little shock, I didn’t expect that, it’s all something new.” Maybe I’ll be a flag bearer once in my life, I’ll try to enjoy it. The goals for the team at the Winter Youth Olympic Games are only the highest, gold and only gold. We are ready and able to fight for the highest results. “It will be interesting to see how other countries fight in the discipline of 3×3 hockey,” says Olivers Mūrnieks, the flag bearer, about the award presented and the upcoming starts.
President of the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) Jānis Buks and Director of the Sports Department of the Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) Vladimirs Šteinbergs addressed the young people with motivational words and good wishes before they left for Gangwon.
The Winter Youth Olympic Games take place every four years, this time in South Korea’s Gangwon Province. They begin on January 19th with the opening ceremony and will take place over two weeks with the launch of all 15 sports, of which Latvian representatives will be seen in 11 sports. Latvia will be represented at the upcoming Games by 45 athletes, representing the largest Latvian delegation to date at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Composition of the Latvian team –
- Biathlon: Keita Patricijas Kolicianas, Madaras Veckalnins, Stella Bleidele, Olivers Bresme, Valters Bresme, Adrian Māris Šņoriņš;
- Ice hockey: Roberts Kravalis, Patriks Plumiņš, Herberts Laugalis, Leonards Aleksandrs Grundmanis, Felix Niks Paurs, Richards Rutkis, Kristers Obuks, Timurs Malishevs, Olivers Mūrnieks, Max Mihailovs, Martins Klaucans, Daniels Reidzāns, Martins Bārtulis;
- Curling: Agate Regža, Kristaps Zass;
- Monobob: Amelia Kotāne, Kate Liene Prudāne;
- Skeleton: Marta Andžane, Darta Dreimane, Laura Legere, Emils Indriksons, Dāvis Valdovskis;
- Luge sport: Margita Sirsniņa, Amanda Ogorodnikova, Madara Pavlova, Edvarts Marts Markitāns, Jānis Gruzdulis – Borovojs, Ādens Eduards Čepulis;
- Cross-country skiing: Linda Kaparkalėja, Martīne Djatkovića, Jēkabs Skolnieks, Ritvars Lepeškins;
- Mountain skiing: Frida Salnikova, Pauls Pēteris Prancāns; Speed skating: Gustavs Vācietis;
- Figure skating: Sofia Stepchenko, Kirill Korkach; Short distance: Kamila Salmiņa, Madara Guntere.
Four years ago, Latvia was represented by 30 athletes in nine sports in the Swiss city of Lausanne. At that time, Latvian representatives brought home five medals, including one – a silver medal in skeleton and four in luge – one gold and one silver medal each and two bronze medals.
You can follow the progress of our athletes on the website olimpiade.lv, where the latest events, the start calendar, exclusive interviews, the most beautiful photo moments and of course the competition results are published.
The participation of Latvian athletes in the Winter Youth Olympic Games is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania (IZM), the retail chain Rimi, the sportswear brand 4F, as well as information sponsors – visual media, SWH and TVNET Group.
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