Lauris Strautmanis (second from left) successfully competed in military shooting competitions in Sweden this summer.
Photo: NBS SPORTS CLUB
Ilmārs Stūriška, “Latvijas Avīze”, JSC “Latvijas Mediji”
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Shooter Lauris Strautmanis had the best season of his career: two silver medals at the European Championships, one victory in the European Cup stage, he was twice close to medals at the World Championships. 27-year-old Tukumeni failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, but he has taken a big step forward and hopes to make it to the Paris Games in 2024.
The hand was shaking
In the second half of October, in the world championship held in Egypt, Lauris Strautmanis, paired with Agati Rashmanis, in a dramatic bronze duel with Agati Rashmanis at a distance of 10 meters, recognized the superiority of the Iranians – 14-15. “The fight was interesting and a bit nervous, against experienced Olympians against whom we are still green cucumbers”, Lauris Strautmanis told “Latvijas Avīze”. “When you realize that you can claim medals, it’s not easy emotionally. This was only the second world championship for me, the first for which I felt really ready.
Meanwhile, Iranian Javadu Forugi is the Olympic champion. At the beginning we lost a lot, then we were a little lucky, we recovered, but at 14:14 we understand that the next pitch will decide everything. The hand was shaking. You shouldn’t really talk to your partner on the line of fire, you can say something in a low voice, but your best bet is something stupid to relieve the stress and laugh a little bit. Usually, at times like these, I allow myself more on the verge of breaking the rules to distract myself. I told Agatha before the final: there is nothing to worry about, we are already at least fifth in the world, this is very good. We will do our job and see how it goes. In fact, we pushed hard. If we look at the leaders – they are over 30 and even 40 years old, some even older, they know how to prepare, we still lack confidence. Now we have shown that we can, but we must be able to maintain this feeling. “
Shooting with a pistol at a round target at a distance of 25 meters, Strautmanis took second place on the side of the competition, the first was his teammate and friend Emil Wassermanis. The second part didn’t go so well and Lauris dropped to eighth and Emils – 17. Strautmanis explains that it wasn’t a shock, because the quick shot isn’t that good. “Emil came from the shooting line angry, he said – to hell with this exercise. It was the same for me, although this year in the military competition in Sweden I got the record for Latvian and shooting range in this exercise. Then then. there was not so much responsibility, “Lauris Strautmanis emphasizes the emotional factor.
About the oak
For the whole year it would be a shame for Strautmans to regret, as he won two silver medals in both European Championships, one of them in the team competition alongside Wassermani and Guido Tsvetkova. “A big step forward has been made this year, but the feeling of joy is not entirely satisfied,” admits the shooter. “Second place in Europe with a small-caliber pistol at 50 meters is nice, but it serves no purpose for qualifying for the Olympic Games, which began at the world championship. If I had a couple more points individually in pneumatics, I would probably I would qualify.
So this work is still ahead. It will be possible to qualify by ranking or by place in specific matches. I am definitely more ready to win the ticket than I was before the Tokyo Olympics. A lot has been done in a physical sense, where I worked with the athletic trainer of the bobsleigh team Jānis Ozola. He is also a fat man, he has his own gym at home, where we work four days a week. I feel more and more improvements over the course of the year, it’s easier to hold the gun and that’s psychologically important too. Jānis’ contribution to the results is 30 or even 40 percent “.
At professional service
Lauris Strautmanis is a second generation marksman, her father is in the National Guard, joined the National Guard at the age of 15 and became a National Guard when she came of age. After completing the junior instructor course and obtaining the rank of corporal, last year he switched to professional service in the National Armed Forces, where the main assignment is related to sport – training and competition. “When I have to go back to the shooting range with a gun in my hand, I will definitely not complain: I like it and I would like it.” Unfortunately, I was unable to participate in the “Namejs” training in the fall, so I gain something and I lose something, “said Lauris Strautmanis.
Let’s understand how shooting positions differ in sports and in the military. Lauris says it was an honor to learn to shoot in combat from Jānis Laķs – he was one of two Latvian soldiers who, in 2009, on a mission to Afghanistan, fought alongside US soldiers in the Battle of Keating, of which the film “Priekšpostenis” (“The Outpost”) was made in Hollywood. Lauri has no problems with shooting in combat, he points out that the principles of shooting a pistol and a machine gun are similar.
In parallel, Strautmanis and Emīla Vasermanis are studying in the second year of the Latvian Academy of Sports Pedagogy in absentia, acquiring the qualification of shooting coach and manager in sports.
“Lāčplēš day is special for me, not only in November, but all winter I walk around with the Latvian flag on my coat. The word” Latvija “and the flag are in my heart. I like to drive to Riga there. early morning, I stop on the Vanšu bridge in traffic jams and watch the big red and white flag flying over the AB dam “, Lauris Strautmanis greets everyone on Lāčplēš day and in the month of the patriot.
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