Under New Coach, Danas Rapsys Heads To Lithuanian Winter Championships

2023 LITHUANIAN WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, February 16th – Saturday, February 18th
• Alytus, Lithuania
• LCM (50m)
• Entries/Results

The 2023 Lithuanian Winter Championships kick off tomorrow from Alytus. Among the competitors is 27-year-old Danas Rapsys, the 400m freestyle bronze medalist at the 2022 Short Course World Championships.

However, Rapsys is entering this domestic competition differently than in the past as the ace has recently changed coaches.

Rapsys decided to part ways with his long-time coach Ina Paipeliene, opting instead to head to Šiauliai Swimming Center “Delfinas” under the tutelage of Paulius Povilionis.

Povilionis actually accompanied Rapsys to Melbourne last December. The coach said, “Since I assisted Dan’s coach Ina since September and helped him prepare for the World Championship, I received an offer from the federation and the athlete’s coaches to continue this work.

“There were many thoughts in my head, but I decided to help Dan achieve his goals together. I am grateful to the federation and Dan for trusting me as a coach.”

Rapsys said of his old club, “I am grateful to Panevėžys “Žemyna” for the professionalism, support and all kinds of help provided. For all those years, for trips and camps and the opportunity to train not anywhere else, but in my hometown. I have always been here and I am welcome.”

Of note, Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte is not entered in these Lithuanian Winter Championships; however, she is among the five Lithuanians who have already achieved World Championships-qualifying times.

Lithuanians Already Qualified for 2023 World Championships

• Ruta Meilutyte – 50m breast, 100m breadt
• Aleksas Savickas – 200m breast
• Danas Rapsys – 200m free, 400m free
• Andrius Sidlauskas – 100m breast
• Kotryna Teterevkova – 50m breast, 100m breast, 200m breast

Quotes courtesy of the Lithuanian Swimming Federation.