16/20 Azenes St., Office 338, Riga, LV-1048; phone: +371 67089307; zinta bf.rtu.lv

”Citius, altius, fortius!” – this Olympic slogan well characterizes the sporty spirit at RTU. RTU has long-standing traditions in sport and can rightfully be proud of the achievements of its athletes – former and also present students of RTU.

Sport is obligatory for the 1st- and 2nd-year students at RTU. There are 18 sport sections offered by the University. Students may choose the kind of sport most suitable to their liking and ability, the students who demonstrate good results in a particular sport event may represent their alma mater in the University team in one of the following events: basketball, volleyball, floor ball, track-and-field athletics, judo, football, weight lifting, Greek and Roman wrestling, table tennis, badminton, swimming, skiing, boxing, handball, aesthetic gymnastics, orienteering or free fight.

The best athletes participate in various competitions, starting with championships organised by the Riga City Council, competitions of Latvian sport leagues, Latvian and world universiads up to the Olympic Games.

All in all, 21 graduate of our University has participated in the Olympic Games. In 2001, on the day of opening of the Turin Winter Olympic Games, the RTU athletes (the Olympic Games participants) photograph gallery was opened in the central building of RTU at 1 Kaļķu street. The gallery features athletes who have proudly carried the name of RTU internationally, have participated and achieved excellent results at the Olympic Games.

Many excellent sportsmen and popular persons in Latvia are RTU graduates, e.g., Vilis Krištopāns (former politician, businessman), Pāvels Seļivanovs (politician and volley-ball player), Zintis Ekmanis (bob-sleigh), Raimonds Bergmanis (weightlifter), as well as Valdis Valters – the most popular Latvian basketball player of fall times, as well as many others.

In 2007, for popularising basketball among RTU students, upon V.Valters’ initiative, RTU has become a member of the restored basketball club ”VEF Rīga”.

The sporty spirit at RTU is also enhanced by the fact that our former rectors Aleksandrs Mālmeisters (1961–1963), Aleksandrs Veiss (1963–1985), Egons Lavendelis (1985–1999), as well as our present rector academician Ivars Knēts have also been very good athletes.

Not only students and administration but also academic staff and technical personnel are very active participants of various sport events organized by the University – Days of Sport, the RTU Rector’s Cup (including 14 sports events), as well as the Sport Games of Baltic Technical Universities.

RTU students may use the RTU Swimming Pool and the sport and recreation centre”Ronīši” in Klapkalnciems, Tukums region. The area of the recreation centre is 6 ha large and borders on the Ķemeri National Park and the Riga Gulf. RTU students fondly call ”Ronīši” – ”Paradise by the Sea”.

By propagating sport activities among students the RTU Sport Club and the Chair of Sport promotes the development of youth sport  in Latvia and involvement of students in different sport activities and exciting sport  classes motivating them to maintain and develop a good mental and physical condition as well as be capable to demonstrate good results in sport competitions. Mens sana in corpore sano!