50 athletes to represent Latvia at Olympic Games [24 Jan 2002]

The Latvian team for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games was approved at the Latvian Olympic Committee's session on 23 January 2002.

The 50 athletes will compete in eight events: speed skating, biathlon, bobsleigh, ice hockey, luge, skeleton, cross-country skiing and Alpine skiing. The delegation includes 22 coaches, four doctors and four administrative representatives.

This is Latvia's largest delegation to the Olympic Games ever.

The Olympic delegation includes: Ilmars Bricis, Olegs Maluhins, Jekabs Nakums, Gundars Upenieks, Raivis Zimelis (biathlon); Sandis Prusis, Gatis Guts, Janis Ozols, Inesis Zaporozecs, Marcis Rullis, Janis Silarajs, Gunars Bumbulis, Maris Rozentals, Intars Dicmanis, Matiss Zacmanis (bobsleigh); Tomass Dukurs (skeleton); Iluta Gaile, Anna Orlova, Maija Tiruma, Martins Rubenis, Guntis Rekis, Nauris Skraustins, Ivars Deinis, Sandris Berzins (luge); Ilonda Luse (speed skating); Ivars Ciaguns (Alpine skiing); Juris Germanis (cross-country skiing).

In the United States, Latvia will also be represented by ice hockey players Arturs Irbe, Sergejs Naumovs, Edgars Masalskis, Viktors Ignatjevs, Sandis Ozolins, Karlis Skrastins, Kaspars Astasenko, Rodrigo Lavins, Andrejs Maticins, Atvars Tribuncovs, Igors Bondarevs, Olegs Sorokins, Herberts Vasiljevs, Aigars Cipruss, Harijs Vitolins, Leonids Tambijevs, Aleksandrs Kercs, Vjaceslavs Fanduls, Aleksandrs Belavskis, Sergejs Zoltoks, Grigorijs Pantelejevs, Aleksandrs Semjonovs, Artis Abols, Aleksandrs Nizivijs, Aleksandrs Macijevskis, Mareks Jass, Sergejs Senins.

Coaches and technical staff are: Vitalijs Urbanovics, Aivars Bogdanovs, Sendijs Urbanovics (biathlon); Zintis Ekmanis, Rihards Kotans, Raimonds Dombrovskis, Gints Sevics-Miklesevics (bobsleigh); Dainis Dukurs (skeleton); Curt Lindstrom, Maris Baldonieks, Mihails Sostaks, Janis Kveps, Fjodors Mazurs, Kirovs Lipmans, Kristofers Kolanders (ice hockey); Peteris Cirulis, Vera Zozula, Edvins Gurspons, Atis Strenga (luge); Margo Fraser (speed skating); Janis Ciaguns (Alpine skiing); Andris Gailitis (cross-country skiing).

Doctors Liga Cirule, Maruta Noveicuka, Edvins Lesenkovs, Ilgonis Zemitis will also go to the U.S., as well as administrative representatives Einars Fogelis, Andris Konrads, Andris Lupiks, Evalds Goba.

The national ice hockey team (23 people) will be officially announced only on 8 February, currently, only the list of candidates is known.

Besides, the Latvian Olympic Committee's president Vilnis Baltins and secretary general Aldonis Vrublevskis are also authorized to include on Latvia's Olympic team Jelena Sirohvatova and Jurijs Salmanovs (figure skating), Andzela Brice (biathlon), coaches Svetlana Frisenbrudere, Roberts Krutkramelis, Zigurds Konus and doctor Zane Kruze, if the organisational committee of the Olympic Games officially confirms the above persons' right to participate in the Games on 28 January.

The Latvian official delegation also includes Vilnis Baltins and Aldonis Vrublevskis, invited by the International Olympic Committee, and also President Vaira Vike-Freiberga and her spouse, Imants Freibergs, Latvian Ambassador to the U.S. Aivis Ronis and Minister of Education and Science Karlis Greiskalns, who have been invited by the organisers of the Olympic Games.