The Latvian Athletics Association awarded Biruta Grantina with the European Athletics Women’s Leadership Award during the federation’s Calendar Conference on 12 November.
Biruta Grantina is a Sport School Director in the Bauska District, a region in Latvia where athletics is quite popular.
Grantina finds financial support from private companies to help young talented athletes grow their talents while furthering their education by studying at the Murjanu Sport Gymnasium.
Several professional athletes have developed at this Sport School under Grantina’s guidance. Olympic silver medallist Ainars Kovals and Olympian Dace Ruskule, as well as European under-23 champion Atis VaisjÅ«ns and many other young athletes and Latvian record holders.
She also created youth competition systems in athletics, introducing the sport to children from 7 years of age and onwards.
Thanks to Grantina’s leadership abilities, a stable sporting system has been established in this leading Bauska District.
Aldis Cakurs received his European Athletics Coaching Award during the same ceremony organised by the Latvian Athletics Association.
He was nominated by the federation to receive the award and is recognised as the Latvian Coach of the Year for his accomplishments.
Cakurs trains Ieva Turke who finished third in the high jump at the IAAF World Youth Championships and Klinta Blusina took second place in the long jump at the European Youth Olympic Festival.
European Athletics this year awarded 43 coaches from 26 European countries while 19 standout women were given the Women’s Leadership Award.
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