On Wednesday, December 8, the composition of the Latvian U-18 hockey team was officially announced for the European Youth Winter Olympics, which will take place in Voukati, Finland, from December 12 to 17. The flagship of the Latvian delegation will be hockey player Rogers Bucharest, the Latvian Olympic Committee informed.
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The head coach of the Latvian U-18 national team Oleg Sorokins has included two goalkeepers and eighteen field players. The Latvian national hockey team will start the tournament on December 14, when at 15:00 opponents will be the Russian team. Our hockey players will play the second match on December 15, at 18:30 when you will meet with your Finnish peers. The next opponents of the Latvian hockey team will be determined after the first two fights.
In addition to the Latvian national team, the national teams of Russia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Switzerland and Belarus will also take part in these hockey tournaments. That’s why the National Hockey League (NHL) team scouts will also be watching this tournament.
Kārlis Lejnieks, Secretary General of the Latvian Olympic Committee, explained why Roger Bucharest was chosen as the flag bearer in the upcoming competitions.
The Latvian delegation has entrusted the 17-year-old Roger Bucharest, who demonstrates determination, perseverance and zeal with his athletic performance and attitude towards his sport, to bring the national flag to the European Youth Winter Olympics “Vuokatti 2022. Roger is an outstanding example of the Latvian hockey phenomenon – family He comes from a multi-generational family of hockey players: the two older Roger brothers – Roberts and Rihards – are professional athletes and have been players of the Latvian national team several times, while his father Ralph Bucharest has raised several elite athletes and at the Olympics, “said Lejnieks.
The President of the Latvian Hockey Federation Aigars Kalvītis emphasizes that such international tournaments are very important at the age of young people – the best guys are selected for them, who hope to connect their career with professional sports, who are burning for achievements. “It is these Latvian players who will probably form the core of the adult hockey team in years to come. I wish the team to show good performance, delight its fans with victories and gain valuable experience among elite athletes,” said Kalvītis.
Latvia will be represented in 6 sports at the European Youth Winter Olympics “Vuokatti 2022”. The Olympics competition is divided into two stages: this year from 12 to 17 December, a hockey tournament will take place, while in 2022 competitions in other winter sports will take place, where a total of 20 young athletes could represent Latvia in 5 sports – downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, figure skating and short track.
