Daugavpils Celebrates a Year of Sporting Triumph: Samoilova and Lebedevs Crowned Athletes of the Year
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A surge in athletic achievement and infrastructure development marked 2025 as a landmark year for sports in Daugavpils, Latvia, culminating in the “Daugavpils Annual Sports Award 2025” ceremony held on January 16th at Vienības nama. The event honored the city’s top athletes, coaches, and contributors, recognizing a year of significant progress across a diverse range of disciplines.
Beach Volleyball Gold and Speedway Silver Highlight 2025 Successes
Anastasia Samoilova, a beach volleyball champion, and Andžejs Lebedevs, a leading speedway racer, were named the Athletes of the Year, reflecting the city’s success on both national and international stages. Samoilova, alongside her partner Tina Graudiņa, achieved a historic gold medal at the 2025 World Championship in Adelaide, Australia – a first for Latvian beach volleyball. Throughout the season, the duo consistently ranked among the world’s best, securing two silver medals in Pro Tour Elite tournaments and finishing in the top five in seven events, ultimately reaching 5th place at the European Championship. This marks the sixth time Samoilova has received this prestigious title.
Lebedevs, recognized as the Sportsman of the Year for the third consecutive year, delivered a standout season in speedway. He secured multiple podium finishes in the “Grand Prix” series, finished 6th overall, and claimed a silver medal at the European Championship, solidifying his position as a global competitor. His consistent performance also contributed to the success of the Latvian national team in both the European Pairs Championship and the “Speedway of Nations” final.
The Latvian speedway team, comprised of Lebedevs, Yevgenijs Kostigovs, and Daniils Kolodinskis, was awarded the title of Sports Team of the Year after winning silver medals at the European Pairs Championship held on July 19th at the Lokomotive Stadium in Daugavpils.
Rising Stars and Veteran Excellence
Beyond the established champions, 2025 saw the emergence of a new generation of talent. The “Rising Stars of the Year” awards recognized Anna Liepiņa (basketball), Zlata Malinovska (karate), Nikita Prohovskis (boxing), Kirill Volosovs (boxing), Anastasija Yakovleva (freestyle wrestling), and Maksims Vasilionoks (weightlifting).
Liepiņa made history as the first Daugavpils basketball player to be included in the Latvian women’s national team, debuting in the qualification rounds for the 2027 Women’s EuroBasket. Malinovska demonstrated her prowess in karate with a silver medal at the prestigious Polish Open. Prohovskis secured a bronze medal at the U19 European Boxing Championship, while Volosovs claimed silver at the U15 European Boxing Championship, showcasing the strength of the Daugavpils Boxing School. Yakovleva and Vasilionoks also achieved notable success in freestyle wrestling and weightlifting, respectively, winning medals at European and World Championships and setting Latvian records.
The awards also celebrated enduring dedication, with Alfred Kokin (gyrju sport) and Tatjana Špakova (powerlifting) recognized as Sportsmen of the Year in the senior group, proving that athletic achievement knows no age limit.
Recognizing the Pillars of Daugavpils Sport
The Daugavpils Education, Youth and Sports Administration also acknowledged the vital roles of coaches and educators. Aleksandrs Settarovs was honored as Sports Teacher of the Year for his significant contribution to sports education and youth motivation. Irina Romanenko received the Coach of the Year award for her success in developing basketball teams and athletes, emphasizing teamwork and individual growth. A lifetime achievement award was presented to Anatolijs Levša for his decades-long dedication to promoting skiing and triathlon within the city.
Oleg Garkul-Gurevičs was named Paralympic Sportsman of the Year after winning a gold medal in epee at the 2025 Parafencing World Cup in Surakarta, Indonesia. The international break dance tournament “Skill Deal 2025,” held in August, was recognized as the Sports Event of the Year, marking it as the most ambitious event of its kind in Latvia. The Daugavpils Amateur Hockey League also received recognition for its contribution to national sports development.
Investing in the Future of Daugavpils Athletics
Throughout 2025, the Daugavpils Education, Youth and Sports Administration continued to invest in improving sports infrastructure, renovating gymnasiums, stadiums, and training bases and providing modern equipment. These improvements aim to create safer and more comfortable training and competition environments.
Looking ahead to 2026, the administration plans to build on these initiatives, focusing on increasing the competitiveness of Daugavpils’ athletes and expanding opportunities for physical activity throughout the city. As a senior official stated, the success of 2025 is a testament to the dedication of coaches, athletes, specialists, and partners, ensuring the continued growth of the sports industry in Daugavpils.
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This report was supported by a media support fund from Latvian state budget funds, with “Latgales Laiks” responsible for the content of “Sports of the Year Award 2025: The best athletes and representatives of the sports field were honored in Daugavpils.”
