Latvian Team (© Guntis Bērziņš)
The Latvian National Team will be represented by leading athletes in the road mile, 5 km, and half-marathon at the World Athletics Running Championships in Riga. The Latvian Athletics Association presented the composition of the Latvian National Team at a press conference. In the half-marathon, Latvia will be represented by Dmitrijs Serjogins, Artūrs Bareiķis, Ilona Marhele, Agata Strausa, Aleksandrs Raščevskis, Anna Kļučņika, Jeļena Ābele, and Jānis Višķers. In the 5 km distance at the World Championships, Latvia will be represented by Uģis Jocis, Evelīna Krista Sitņika, and Edgars Šumskis, while in road mile, the team includes Jānis Razgalis, Sibilla Vanadziņa, and Ņikita Bogdanovs.
Ieva Misāne, the Sports Director of the Latvian Athletics Association, stated, "In selecting the Latvian national team, we wanted Latvia to be represented by the very best at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga. Therefore, I am genuinely pleased that Latvia will be graced by the presence of our top athletes, who train and live outside of Latvia. Among the team members, we also have several Latvian record holders - Uģis Jocis, who holds Latvian records in road running, indoor mile, and indoor 3000 meters, and Dmitrijs Serjogins – a Latvian record holder in the half-marathon, 10 km, and 5 km. We hope that our national team will showcase their best performance at the World Road Running Championships!"
Latvian national team in the World Athletics Road Running Championships
Road mile (1609m)
Jānis Razgalis
Nine-time Latvian champion in middle and long distances. Throughout his career, he has achieved the second-best times in 1500m and 3000m distances in Latvian history.
Sibilla Vanadziņa
Double Baltic U18 champion in the 1500m, both indoors and on the track, and Latvian U18 champion in the 1500m.
Ņikita Bogdanovs
Three-time Latvian champion in 1500m and champion of the SELL Student Games over 1500m.
5 km
Edgars Šumskis
2023 Latvian champion over 3000m indoors and 2022 Latvian and Baltic champion in the 3000m.
Uģis Jocis
Seventeen-time Latvian champion and three Latvian record holder indoors (mile, 2000m, and 3000m) and Latvian record holder in the road mile.
Evelīna-Krista Sitņika
Multiple U20 Latvian and Baltic championship medalist in 800m and 1500m distances. Silver medalist in the Latvian championship in 1500m and 3000m distances.
Half-Marathon
Ilona Marhele
Multiple Latvian champion in long distances, Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games participant. In 2017, Ilona participated in the World Athletics Championships in London, ranking among the all-time best marathon runners in Latvian athletics history with a personal record of 2:37:40.
Dmitrijs Serjogins
One of the best athletes in Latvia of all time, with 14 Latvian champion titles over various distances. Latvian record holder in the 5 km, 10 km, and half-marathon distances.
Jeļena Ābele
Multiple Latvian champion in distances ranging from 800m to the half-marathon. Youth World Vice-Champion in the 1500m and European Cup winner over 1500m.
Artūrs Bareiķis
One of the all time fastest half-marathon runners in Latvia.
Agata Strausa
Multiple Latvian champion on the track in middle and long distances and the third-fastest Latvian of all time in the half-marathon distance.
Aleksandrs Raščevskis
Latvian marathon champion in 2023
Anna Kļučņika
Latvian half-marathon vice-champion in 2023.
Jānis Višķers
Multiple Latvian champion in long distances.
