Latvia at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Latvia at the
2012 Summer Olympics
IOC codeLAT
NOCLatvian Olympic Committee
Websitewww.olimpiade.lv (in Latvian and English)
in London
Competitors46 in 12 sports
Flag bearers Mārtiņš Pļaviņš (opening)[1]
Ineta Radēviča (closing)
Medals
Ranked 49th
Gold
1
Silver
0
Bronze
1
Total
2
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Russian Empire (1908–1912)
 Soviet Union (1952–1988)

Latvia competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from July 27 to August 12, 2012. This was the nation's tenth appearance at the Summer Olympics.

The Latvian Olympic Committee sent a total of 46 athletes to the Games, 32 men and 14 women, to compete in 12 sports. Sixteen athletes had competed in Beijing, including silver medalist Ainārs Kovals in the men's javelin throw, and defending Olympic champion Māris Štrombergs in men's BMX cycling. Pistol shooter and Olympic gold medalist Afanasijs Kuzmins, the oldest of the team, at age 65, became the first Latvian athlete to compete in nine Olympic games (including three of his appearances under the Soviet Union), tying the record set by Austria's Hubert Raudaschl. Meanwhile, Jeļena Rubļevska, who won silver in Athens, became the first female modern pentathlete to compete at four Olympics, since the sport's introduction to women in 2000. Among the twelve sports played by the athletes, Latvia marked its Olympic debut in table tennis.

Latvia left London with only one gold and one bronze medal. Māris Štrombergs, who managed to successfully defend his Olympic title in the men's BMX cycling, became the first Latvian athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in the post-Soviet era.[2] Meanwhile, Mārtiņš Pļaviņš, who became Latvia's flag bearer at the opening ceremony, and his partner Jānis Šmēdiņš won the nation's first-ever Olympic medal in men's beach volleyball.

  1. ^ "Latvijas karogu olimpiādes atklāšanā nesīs Pļaviņš" (in Latvian). Sportacentrs.com. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  2. ^ "Maris Strombergs repeats in BMX". ESPN. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.

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