Source: Peter Sukenik
The Latvian Olympic Committee officially announced the members of their Olympic swimming team at a press conference yesterday. Latvian national team swimmers Uvis Kalnins and Alona Ribakova were confirmed eligible to participate in the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio by FINA.
Competing in her first Olympics, Alona Ribakova will be swimming the 200 m breastroke. She placed 37th in this event at last summer’s World Championships in Russia with a time of 2:34.69. Recently at the Latvian National Championships she placed first in multiple events, including the 200 IM and the 100 m breastroke.
This will will be Missouri State swimmer Uvis Kalnins’ second Olympics– he competed for Latvia at the 2012 London Olympics, finishing 30th in the 100 m freestyle. He qualified to swim the 200 m individual medley in the Olympics at the U.S. National Championships in Federal Way, Washington with a time of 2:00.59. Kalnins achieved his personal best in this event at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Russia, where he finished 17th with a time of 2:00.39. In an interview with Ozark Sports Zone Kalnins said that he feels much better prepared for the upcoming Olympics than he was in 2012, and his goal is to finish in the top 16.
I didn’t know Latvia had pools
They don’t. Which is why it is so amazing. It’s all mental for them.