Olympians Meet Over 300 Students in Cēsis as Part of “Olympians in Schools with Rimi”

On 8 October, the Cēsis sports complex hosted the second regional event of the “Olympians in Schools with Rimi” project. It brought together 337 students from seven schools in the Vidzeme region: the primary schools of Liepa, Rāmuļi, Inčukalns, Kalsnava, Taurupe, Daudzese and Strenči.

The initiative is run by the Latvian Olympic Committee in cooperation with Rimi Latvia and with the support of Olympic Solidarity. It aims to encourage students in grades 5–8 to lead a more active lifestyle, eat a balanced diet and keep a healthy daily routine.

Who spoke to the students

Several athletes and experts met the young people: beach volleyball player Mārtiņš Pļaviņš, Marta Robežniece and Kitija Bogdanova, luge athletes Eduards Ševics-Mikeļševics and Lūkass Krasts, race walker Agnese Pastare, alpine skier Liene Bondare, Aigars Miklāvs, president of the Latvian Wheelchair Basketball Federation, and Gustavs Mellenbergs, an expert from “Rimi Bērniem”.

Pļaviņš said he was pleasantly surprised by how much young people know about the sugar content of drinks, and stressed the importance of parents setting an example. Mellenbergs urged students to understand the role of nutrition and sleep in recovery, and called on parents to talk more about everyday habits at home.

Why it matters

According to the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, only about 20% of teenagers reach the physical activity level recommended by the WHO, which is at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day. Excess weight or obesity affects 20–25% of children, while more than two thirds of young people lack sleep on school days, influenced by excessive screen time.

What comes next

The project's third season continues in Kurzeme (14 October in Ventspils), Zemgale (28 October in Jelgava) and Latgale (3 November in Daugavpils). Teachers will receive worksheets and students will get educational booklets. The project also pays particular attention to inclusive education.

Last school year, 24 schools and 2,685 students took part. This year the aim is to reach up to 3,500 young people, with events held at regional Olympic centres.