Aigars Apinis
Encyclopedia
Aigars Apinis is a Latvia
n athlete. He participates in F52 class which means he has limited finger movement and no trunk or leg function. He started to practice in 1998, but already at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
he won two bronze medals - in discus throw
and shot put
. At the 2004 Summer Paralympics
he became the Olympic champion in discus throw and was 4th in shot put.
In the fall of 2010 Apinis created resonance in the society, by stating that he is ready to sell his 2000 Sydney Paralympics
bronze medal (first paralympic medal in the history of Latvia) in an auction, in order to provide Latvian Paralympic Committee
with funds, which would allow Latvian delegation to participate in the 2011 World Paralympic Championships in Athletics.
At the 2011 IPC (International Paralympic Committee) World Championships in New Zealand
, Apinis won the gold medal in the shot put F52/53 category, also setting a new world record for his category.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n athlete. He participates in F52 class which means he has limited finger movement and no trunk or leg function. He started to practice in 1998, but already at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
he won two bronze medals - in discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
and shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
. At the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
he became the Olympic champion in discus throw and was 4th in shot put.
In the fall of 2010 Apinis created resonance in the society, by stating that he is ready to sell his 2000 Sydney Paralympics
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
bronze medal (first paralympic medal in the history of Latvia) in an auction, in order to provide Latvian Paralympic Committee
Latvian Paralympic Committee
The Latvian Paralympic Committee is responsible for Latvia's participation in the Paralympic Games....
with funds, which would allow Latvian delegation to participate in the 2011 World Paralympic Championships in Athletics.
At the 2011 IPC (International Paralympic Committee) World Championships in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Apinis won the gold medal in the shot put F52/53 category, also setting a new world record for his category.