We would like to introduce you to RSB “Latvello” member Imants Stradiņš.
Imants Stradiņš – an athlete of the Latvian SSR national team – is one of ten protégés of Pēteris Strods (Honoured Coach of the Latvian SSR), who during his sporting career became a Master of Sports of the Latvian SSR in cycling.
Already at the beginning of his career, Imants set several USSR youth records in track cycling, and in the following years continued to improve them, breaking both USSR and republic-level records.
After concluding his professional career as an active athlete, Imants devoted himself to training young talents both on the track and on the road, becoming a coach of the Latvian SSR national team at the Latvian SSR Sports Committee.
He is the author of several articles (published in the newspaper “Sports”), has organised countless sporting events, bringing together large numbers of participants and spectators of all age groups – supporters of cycling as well as other sports.
After the restoration of Latvia’s independence, Imants was among the first to organise cycling veterans’ reunion evenings and national veterans’ competitions, which were attended by up to 100 cycling veterans (the oldest enthusiast being 94 years old).
Both at competitions and gatherings, former athletes actively shared memories of achievements experienced during their careers – joys, satisfaction, and also setbacks. With smiles, veteran masters were remembered, along with coaches’ strict instructions and advice, while discussing personal and former rivals’ race results and tactics.
Imants regularly keeps in touch with former veterans, informing them about current developments in sport, listening to them both in moments of joy and in times of sorrow, or simply when there is a wish to talk.
It should also be mentioned that he has been a member of the Veterans’ Commission of the Latvian Cycling Federation, as well as a commissionaire of the (UCI) Union Cycliste Internationale.
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