Reinis Bērziņš Photo: LOK/ Eddy Palen/ LETA
On Thursday, canoeist Melania Čamane and short-track athlete Reinis Bērziņš were recognized as Jelgava’s best athletes of the year in Olympic sports during the traditional annual sports event ‘Sporta laureāts 2022’, LETA agency learned in the municipality .
11 athletes, six coaches and five sports teams were congratulated for their sporting achievements in 2022 as well as the city’s Sports Teacher of the Year and an award for contribution to sports was presented. The best athlete of the year in Olympic sports, Bērziņš is a short track player of the sports complex (SK) “Zemgale” and this year he represented Latvia at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, and for the first time in his career as professional athlete, won a medal at one of the stages of the World Cup – took 3rd place in the distance of 1500 meters at the stage of the World Cup in Salt Lake City, USA.
The best athlete of the year in Olympic sports, Chamane is a kayaker from the Jelgava Children and Youth Sports School. Won 6th place in the world championship for junior women in doubles 500m, 7th place in the European championship for junior women in doubles 500m, 1st place in the international competition “Olympic Hopes” for young women in singles and doubles 500m meters, and is also a multiple Latvian champion in adult and junior competitions.
The award was presented to Normunds Hofmanis, head of the Remoss sports tourism club, for his contribution to sport. Hofmanis started working as a sports teacher at the present Jelgava State Spīdola Gymnasium in 1991, he also created a sports tourism group, and in 1998 he founded the “Remoss” tourism club, which is still active today. Olga Fyodorova, a sports teacher at Pārlielupe Primary School in Jelgava, was recognized as Sports Teacher of the Year.
On the other hand, Artis Ābols – the coach of the “Zemgale/LLU” hockey team – was recognized as coach of the year in Olympic sports. In the 2021/2022 season, the hockey team “Zemgale/LLU” under the leadership of coach A. Ābol became the champion of Latvia for the first time in the club’s history. Kristaps Blūmanis, a representative of the open-air wrestling club “Legacy Jelgava”, is the sportsman of the year in non-Olympic sports, and Nikolas Deichmans, a student of the Jelgava Specialized Swimming School, is the most promising athlete of the year. Sports Games Team of the Year – ice hockey team “Zemgale/LLU”.
Jelgava Athletics Club paraathlete Edgars Bergs received the special award of the Sports Service Center. Rower Roberts Lagzdiņš, 3×3 basketball player Edgars Krūmiņš, ice hockey player Renārs Krastenbergs, karate player Kalvis Kalniņš, karting player Tomas Štolcermanis and Jelgava Ice Sports School short track player Māris Jānis Šternmanis received awards for high achievements in sports.
Coaches were also awarded for high achievements: Juris Lauris, kayak coach of Jelgava Children and Youth Sports School, Sergejs Bobkovs, canoe coach of Jelgava Children and Youth Sports School, Astra Ozoliņa, coach of Jelgava Specialized Swimming School, – Jelgava Ice School of sports and short track coach SK “Zemgale” Evita Krievāne, athletics coach Maija Ukstiņa.
The teams – ice hockey team “Zemgale Juniors”, basketball team “Jelgava”, women’s volleyball team “Jelgava” and football team “FS Jelgava” were also awarded for their achievements in 2022.
