FISU world university canoe and kayak championships: Kauno kolegija graduate – runner-up
The Lithuanian Student National Team performed successfully at the FISU World University Canoe and Kayak Championships, held in Szeged (Hungary) on 17–20 August. The Lithuanian athletes won one silver and two bronze medals, while Lithuania finished seventh in the overall medal standings, reports the Lithuanian Student Sports Association.
Nedas Zavackis – runner-up
On the first day of the Championships, Lithuanian athletes immediately made their mark on the medal table.
Nedas Zavackis, a graduate of the General Practice Nursing programme at the Faculty of Medicine of Kauno kolegija, completed the men’s K-1 200-metre final in 36.21 seconds to become runner-up. The Lithuanian athlete was just 0.54 seconds short of the gold medal. The title went to Belarusian representative Artsiom Andreyenka (35.67 seconds), while Czech athlete Jakub Remuta (36.58 seconds) took third place.
Denisas Kovaliovas also won a bronze medal on the first day. The Lithuanian canoeist completed the C-1 200-metre final in 42.46 seconds to finish third.
The Lithuanian athlete was beaten by Belarusian Andrei Zholabau (40.51 seconds) and Hungarian Gergő Rumi (41.18 seconds). D. Kovaliovas had to fight hard for the bronze, narrowly beating Moldovan Alexandru Tacu, who finished fourth, by just 0.13 seconds.
Liucija Railaitė’s performance also contributed to a successful first day. The Lithuanian kayaker finished sixth in the K-1 200-metre A final.
Artūras Golovačas and D. Kovaliovas – World University Championship medallists
The Lithuanian team won another medal on the second day of the Championships.
Artūras Golovačas and D. Kovaliovas completed the C-2 1,000-metre final in 3 minutes 47.69 seconds to finish third.
The Lithuanian pair missed out on the silver medal by just 0.04 seconds. Hungary’s Levente Gyányi and Viktor Gyula Pálfalvi took second place. The champions were the Belarusian duo of Piotr Kotau and Vadzim Lychou, who finished in 3 minutes 46.33 seconds.
On the same day, A. Golovačas also competed in the C-1 1,000-metre final, where he finished seventh.
Lithuanian athletes also competed for medals on the final day
On the third and fourth days of the Championships, Lithuanian athletes continued their battle for high positions.
The A. Golovačas and D. Kovaliovas duo finished fifth in the C-2 500-metre final.
In the men’s K-4 500-metre event, the crew of Karolis Laskovas, Tomas Bartkus, Tautvydas Šukys and N. Zavackis finished fourth, missing out on a medal by one place.
L. Railaitė, who competed in the women’s K-1 500-metre event, finished fourth in the semi-final and placed tenth overall.
Representatives of 24 countries took part in the FISU World University Canoe and Kayak Championships, with Lithuania represented by seven athletes: Liucija Railaitė (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences); Tautvydas Šukys (Lithuanian Sports University); Karolis Laskovas (Vytautas Magnus University); Nedas Zavackis (Kauno kolegija); Tomas Bartkus (Lithuanian Sports University); Denisas Kovaliovas (Vilnius College); Artūras Golovačas (Lithuanian Sports University).