Following independence in 1990, the Lithuanian government set up the Physical Education and Sports Department to manage physical education in the schools as well as sports administration in the country. Over the next few years, Lithuanian sports organizations established or re-established membership in various international bodies, including the International Olympic Committee. Lithuania participated in the Winter Olympics in Albertville and every Winter and Summer Olympics since.
There are nearly 80 Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations in Lithuania and the Lithuanian Union of Sports Federations was founded in 1993 to unite them. The Sports for All organization was established to promote physical education and a healthy lifestyle for all Lithuanians.
Among the most popular sports in Lithuania are basketball, football, athletics and cycling. Professional sportsmen and trainers are educated in the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education.
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Basketball is the most popular and the most successful team sport in Lithuania. A writer for the American magazine Sports Illustrated, Luke Winn, said in an August 2011 story that
"Basketball is the only sport the 3.2 million Lithuanians truly care about—it's their second religion, after Catholicism—and their success is proportionately stunning."[1]
A few facts:
"...behind countries of 313 million (the U.S.), 47 million (Spain), 40 million (Argentina) and 11 million (Greece), and just ahead of countries of 79 million (Turkey) and 61 million (Italy).[1]
The Lithuanian national soccer team has reached it's highest rating, being number 37 in October 2008.
At the beginning of the existence of the independent Lithuanian state (from 1919 until the Soviet occupation) the word sport was equaled to the word soccer. soccer players were the first sportsmen to participate in international competitions, notably the 1924 Olympic games in Paris and 1937 in World Cup qualifiers. During the occupation period soccer was also popular in Lithuania. The main problem in Lithuanian soccer is a lack of stadiums and training grounds.
There are individual players playing in strong European soccer leagues, most famous of them:
The A Lyga (English: The A League) is the top division of professional soccer in Lithuania.
Like the rest of Europe, Lithuanians do like to watch the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA World Cup and other world class soccer tournaments. There are many fans of this sport.
Rugby Union was introduced in Lithuania around 1960's. First teams where created in Kaunas and Vilnius. During last 20 years northern city of Šiauliai has become the capital of Lithuanian rugby. Two strongest teams in Lithuania are located there. Representatives of Šiauliai "Vairas-Jupoja" are national champions and Šiauliai "BaltRex" are runners-up for the last 10 years (exc. year 2006). Lithuanian national team is playing in European rugby division 2A. World rugby superstar Laurynas Tipelis is also playing for his country.
Lithuanian national team holds a World Record of 18 consecutive international wins. This run has started in 2006 and was ended only in 2010, then Lithuania lost its World Cup qualifier to much higher ranked Ukraine.
At the moment Lithuania is ranked 39th in the IRB rankings.
There are 13 rugby clubs in Lithuania. More than 1600 players (820 seniors).
Rugby 7's is also played in Lithuania. Lithuanian rugby 7's national team is a prominent participant of European championships.
Lithuanian women's rugby 7's national team is showing progress and rising from lower tiers of European rugby.
Lithuanian athletes have won 11 medals in the Olympics,[2] 7 at World championships[3] and 14 medals in European Championships.[4] Most successful Lithuanian athlete is discus thrower Virglijus Alekna, two times Olympic gold medalist and two times world champion. Other olympic giold medalist discus thrower is Romas Ubartas. In recent years there was raised new perspective sprinters generation in Lithuania. At 2010 two Lithuanian sprinters Martynas Jurgilas and Rytis Sakalauskas improved national record for 100 metres running. One of the best Lithuanian female sprinters Lina Grinčikaitė won gold medals in 2009 Summer Universiade and 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships. Lithuania also have tradition of long distance running. Most successful long distances runners is Aleksandras Antipovas and Živilė Balčiūnaitė. Female heptathletes won some medals in biggest events.
There are Lithuanian cyclists with high achievements in prestigious cycling tours and in World Championships. The achievements of Lithuanian women cyclists are especially noteworthy.
Lithuanian women cyclists made their mark on the international scene starting from 1991. Leading the way in this were, among others, Zita Urbonaitė and Diana Čepelienė who took the 3rd place (overall GC) in the Women's Challenge in summer of 1991.
Among the best Lithuanian cyclists were twin sisters Jolanta Polikevičiūtė and Rasa Polikevičiūtė (2001 World Road Race Champion), Edita Pučinskaitė (1999 World Road Race Champion), and Diana Žiliūtė (1994 World Junior Road Race Champion, 1998 World Road Race Champion, and 2000 Olympic Games Road Race bronze medalist).
There is also a strong program of promotion of cycling at the junior level for girls in Lithuania culminating in an annual international race for girls in Panevėžys. A number of young Lithuanian riders have emerged from this program, led by Modesta Vžesniauskaitė who now stands among the top riders in the world.
Women track cycling team regularly wins medals in World and European championships. In recent years most successful track cyclist is Simona Krupeckaitė.
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