Janis Dalins (Jānis Daliņš) (Los Angeles, 1932)
Race walker Janis Dalins was the first Olympian to win an Olympic medal for Latvia: in 1932 in Los Angeles, Janis Dalins came second in the 50 km race, just behind the Englishman Tom Green. The man from Valmiera was also marching with good hopes of success at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin but unfortunately was forced to withdraw due to cramps in his legs.
Janis Dalins in Nürnberg in 1947
Dalins is also a European champion (Turin, 1934) and holds world records in six different distances. For his achievements in sport, Dalins was awarded the Order of the Three Stars.
International sports competitions [racewalking]. Dalins, Olivone, Hähnel, Schwab (1932)
Edvins Bietags (Edvīns Bietags) (Berlin, 1936)
Bietags was a well-known Latvian athlete, Olympic vice-champion, and European champion in Greco-Roman wrestling in the light heavyweight category. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Bietags won a silver medal in the light heavyweight category. The title of Olympic Vice-Champion was the highest achievement of Latvian athletes at the 1936 Olympic Games.
Edvins Bietags “Starts”, Issue No. 16 (15.04.1935)
Adalberts Bubenko (Berlin, 1936)
Budenko was a bronze medallist in the 50 km racewalking event at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin who also broke the Latvian record during the competition. Budenko is a two-time Latvian Master or Champion in racewalking and a four-time Latvian record holder in various distances. The Latvian record for 50 km in racewalking event in Berlin achieved by Bubenko held for 13 years.
Adalberts Bubenko “Sporta Pasaule”, Issue No. 285 (06.08.1936)
Olympic vice-champion in the Greco-Roman light heavyweight category Edvins Bietags and bronze medallist in racewalking Adalberts Bubenko received a special welcome and congratulations upon their arrival in Riga from the Olympic Games in Berlin.
10,000 supporters welcome Edvins Beitags and Adalberts Budenko “Sporta Pasaule”, Issue No. 298 (19.08.1936)
Latvian national football team (Paris, 1924)
The Latvian Football Federation was founded in 1920, and the Latvian national football team was formed at the same time. In 1924, the national team participated in the Olympic Games in Paris. In the 1930s, the Latvian national team grew stronger and stronger, achieving its greatest success in 1936-1938 under Austrian coach Rudolf Stansel.
Latvian national football team
In 1937, the Latvian national team came close to qualifying for the 1938 World Championship finals but lost to Austria in the deciding match in Vienna.
Latvian national football team
The outbreak of the Second World War initially limited the activities of the Latvian national football team and later ceased them altogether. The last match played by the Latvian national team was against Estonia on 18 July 1940. Eriks Petersons (Ēriks Pētersons) was the greatest Latvian football player before the war.
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