Photo: from the album
The Latvian winter championship in throwing disciplines was held. For discus throwers, javelin throwers and hammer throwers, this is traditionally the first competition in the stadium, although it is considered the last competition of the winter season.
Discus throwers competed in Jelgava, among them eight students of Cēsi coach Mārs Urtāns. Although the presented results fall short of personal records, seven people got on the podium.
The competition was introduced by the members of the U16 group. Toms Samauskis (CPSS/ Cēsi Athletics Club) was convincing in the boys’ competition, winning the gold medal. He was a clear favorite as Tom’s personal best (53.74m) is 13 meters further than the personal best of his closest follower. The first attempt was unsuccessful, but with the second the discus flew almost to the 41-meter mark, ensuring the honor of the leader and the opportunity to fight for medals. None of the competitors managed to even come close to the 40-meter mark in their first attempts. In the fourth attempt, Tom managed 48.49m, showing his competitors that the winner was known. The next throw – 47.25 m. Only one of the competitors managed to exceed the 40 m limit in the last attempt, his disc flew 41.46 m.
For young people, in the V18 group, silver medal for Jēkabs Berkolts (CPSS/ Cēsu Athletics Club), the disc flew 41.75 m far. He showed this result in the second attempt, which turned out to be the only pass, but only the leader of this group, Rait Markus from Murjani Sports Gymnasium, surpassed it, winning the champion title.
For young women in the S18 group, Vanesa Ivanova (CPSS/ Cēsu Athletics Club) with a result of 24.50 m, this time was just behind the top six.
In the V20 group, Artūrs Ozols (CPSS/Cēsu Athletics Club) claimed the title of champion in the first attempt, throwing the discus 42.88 m. Competitors tried, but failed to threaten Arthur’s victory. In the S20 group, the silver medal was won by Luize Geistarde (CPSS/Cēsu Athletics Club), the result was 36.08 m.
For women, in the adult competition, the first three attempts were enough for Vineta Krūmiņa (CPSS/Cēsu Athletics Club) to become the national champion. Each subsequent attempt was further: 37.30m; 41.04 m and 42.37. No competitor even came close to the 40 m mark. In the men’s competition, even two students of M. Urtans are on the podium. It is true that Dagnis Roziņš, a jelgav player, climbed to the top step, his result was 47.14 m. Ralfs Gauja (Cēsu Athletics Club/ “Liesma” sports association) is in second place – 45.52 m, and Aleksandrs Volkovs (Cēsu Athletics Club/ “Running club Napoli”) – 44.56 in third place.
Coach M. Urtāns notes that almost everyone fulfilled their competition plan, not only Aleksandar Volkov’s victory: “He had to win! In training before the competition, the discus flew over 51 meters, it would have been a sure victory, but the tension of the competition took its toll, the hope was not met. I’ll admit, I’m a little disappointed. Artur also had the discus fly further in training, but he won with a lower score, you can’t blame the winners!”
There are objective reasons for the fact that the results fell short of personal records. This was the first competition in the stadium, in unfavorable weather conditions, outside +3 degrees, windy, it was sprinkling. As the coach says, if your hands are freezing, it’s hard to focus on a perfect throw: “Practicing outside or in the stadium are completely different worlds. You can already throw the net in the hall, but the first times in the stadium are always relatively difficult. When training, starting in the stadium, the athlete sees the angle at which the discus flies, and can correct it in the next throws. In the stadium, the tension of the competition also leaves an impression, if the athlete sees that the discus does not fly too far, gets stuck, this leads to errors in throwing technique.”
With the onset of warmer weather, training will resume at full capacity in the stadium, and the results should be more valuable in the “Svetavots” cup competition in discus throwing and shot put, scheduled for mid-May.
This competition organized by M. Urtān will take place on May 13, a month earlier than last year, because the best discus throwers of the Cēsu Athletics Club hope to represent Italian clubs this summer, so they must show the best possible results in some official competition by May 20. That is why the “Svetavots” cup competition is included in the calendar of the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) for the first time. The results, which the athletes will show, will appear in the world ranking, will also be taken into account for normative, participation, for example, in the World Championship.
