Sport award for Lithuania's double

This is the first time that rowers have won the team award which is decided by vote among the nation’s sports journalists. At the same awards Saulius Ritter and Rolandas Mascinskas, who finished in silver medal position in the men’s double sculls at the 2013 World Rowing Championships, were third in the team award category. Lithuania’s national team coach Algirdas Arelis was second in the Coach of the Year award.

Valciukaite and Vistartaite also took out the award for best Lithuanian student athletes for 2013. The duo raced at this year’s Universiade in Kazan, Russia. This award is open to all athletes studying at a university.

President of Lithuanian Sport Journalist Federation Gintaras Nenartavicius commented: “It was a very interesting year for sports journalists as it was full of interesting sport events. After lucky starts in the London Olympics we predicted a calm resting season, but we were very wrong. There were so many medals in Lithuania that not all of the World Champions could appear on the nomination list! As an example the two young rowers came from nowhere and are World Champions. Moreover they won all of the regattas they entered this year and are honestly the best team in Lithuania in 2013.”

“After this year they (Valciukaite and Vistartaite) are really well known in Lithuania,” said Lithuanian Rowing Federation secretary general Inga Daukantiene who added that the duo have created a kind of ‘scandal’ for being ahead of the national basketball team.