Winner of many championships, participant of senior sports games, leader of runners, representing our county in both Latvian and international athletics competitions, Pēteris Árents won the Latvian Year Award in athletics in the nomination “Old Master of the Year” a couple of years ago. He also holds two European records in the 800 m and 1500 m races, and little Latvia has never had such records.
From the sea coast to the Vidzeme highlands
– I was born in Liepāja, then my parents moved to Ventspils, where I started training in athletics. From the age of 14, I started to prove myself in running distances. There were first successes, there were also school records, mostly in sprint distances. In my youth, I ran 100 m, also 200 m, 400 m, and hurdle races. After graduating from high school, I served three years in the Soviet Army in the Black Sea Fleet. When we were ashore I was allowed to train. I was the second best in the Spartakiad among sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, the first was a real running professional.
When I returned to Ventspils after my service, I started training again. In training, I ran with one very good runner who had proven himself in Latvian competitions, and my results gradually increased. I was included in the team of the “Vārpa” sports association. Later, following a recommendation, I went to Daugavpils to train more professionally with trainer Romuald Zigmund. I showed good results, won the Latvian championship, then even made it to the Latvian national team. My record in the 800 m race is still unbeaten in the Daugavpils district.
Before, I didn’t think that I had talents in sports, but I wanted to break out of the grayness myself. I like both records and 1st places, that’s why I train harder. I am an individualist, because I work according to my own training plan and schedule, – Pēteris Arents presents his progress in sports, emphasizing that also in Vestien, where Gaiņš is close, you can train in the fresh air on the hills.
He graduated from the Sports Academy, obtained the qualifications of a teacher and coach, while continuing his education, he also obtained a master’s degree. When the Police Academy was founded, he was invited to work as a teacher of sports lessons, but when the academy was dissolved, he retired. When you meet former students, they still remember how they ran together.
A family of athletes
Pēteris Árents remembers that he had to travel to Daugavpils to train to meet his wife Marita Árents (born Rusgaite), who is also an athlete and coach, the Latvian record holder in the 800 m (still held in 2023) and 1000 m distance (1984). She has also trained with Viktors Vitānis and Romualds Sigmunds.
– Marita and I got married in 1976, and we have been together for 49 years. Our family moved from Daugavpils to live in Aizkraukli. Also in Aizkraukle, no one has beaten me in the 400 m and 800 m race so far. In Aizkraukle, I started running myself, also training my wife, who became the Latvian record holder a few years later. Since we are both athletes, we understand and support each other well. I still have the Aizkraukle newspaper “Staburags”, where there was a publication about us “Together in sport, together in life”. After that we moved to Riga.
We are rich with three children and three grandchildren. Daughter Petra is a lawyer, got a doctor’s degree, son Marek is also an athlete, now he is the head coach in pole vaulting, he has participated in the Olympics three times. Paul Arents is also an athlete, like me, he is a middle-distance runner, he runs 800 m, – introduces the local resident.
Invitation to the event
When asked about what roads have led to Vestiena in Madona county, Pēteris Arents explains: – The connection with Vestiena has always been there, since childhood.
When I was little, together with my mother and father, we traveled from Liepāja to Madona, to Vestien, to Ląudona, because all our relatives lived here. When we came to Madonna, we always visited Uldi Arendt, who is my cousin. Grandma lived in Loudon, and grandfather’s brother lived in Vestien. His daughters Baiba Cielava and Maija Arent invited them to go back to their roots. Our family tree shows that the roots of the Arents in Vestiena date back to 1811. That’s how we live in Vestienas parish now.
When I’m in Riga, both the arena and the stadium have to pay for the use of runways, so I better leave Riga. Love running in the Ogre Stadium. When I can, I go to the Cesvaines stadium to train, I will also have to go to Erglii, where the new stadium has been built, and I will have to ask for permission to run. The wife still works, trains the children in Riga, comes on holidays. Our children also like to stay in the countryside near nature. The wife is a big mushroom picker, Marek also likes to pick mushrooms. The youngest son Paul is a fisherman. I have a lot of work to do in the fields, just mowing the grass takes a lot of energy. The boys are also great skiers, but when I was young, when I lived in Ventspils, there was no snow, if there was, there were no good skis, and I didn’t like skiing.
Can’t stop
– How is it to run almost every day? – I asked Peter Arendt.
He answered: – There were about three years when I didn’t train, and it really didn’t do me any good. My wife did too, and we decided that we should start training properly again. When I started running and training again, the problems disappeared. It just means that you cannot stop, you cannot stop what you have been doing since childhood, the body does not understand what is the matter. When I started training again, everything fell into place, I’m keeping myself in shape again, and I have to keep doing it as long as I can. When there is a greater load, I strengthen my health with sports vitamins, vitamins of group B, magnesium, because you cannot get everything you need with food.
You have to be knowledgeable to take care of your body. You have to practice regularly to get good results. You can’t just go to the competition as a tourist, you have to prepare to be able to fight for the best possible result. Maybe if I can’t make it to the top three, I’ll quit. Although I don’t run for medals, I am interested in the sportsmanship. Of course, as the years go by, the competition for runners becomes less and less. I know that I will always do sports, because I can run, walk to keep myself in shape. I advertise it to everyone. Big sport is not for everyone, not everyone can achieve it. In Latvia, there are few seniors to compete with in their age group, I mostly run with those who are younger. Abroad, after I win, I wonder where such a Latvia is.
Represents little Latvia in the world
Pēteris Arents appreciates the fact that Madona county has its own core of veterans who play sports, are active, and participate in competitions.
– Sports gave the opportunity to attend competitions in many countries of the world. Several times the world championships have been held in Italy, there have been competitions in Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and elsewhere.
The highlight of this year’s summer was participation in the XXIII European Athletics Old Masters Competition in Madeira, Portugal.
– I had to compete with athletes who have once participated in the Olympics or world championships, but I won the 1500m and the 800m. Just like last year at the World Championship for Old Masters.
It is not at all easy to win, even though the word “easy” is in athletics. It’s hard for me too, even though I train regularly. I must run once a day, but during the running season – twice a day. I also visit the weight room, I strengthen my muscles. I also exercise a lot at home, and I have to after two back surgeries. In winter, athletics competitions are held in the arena, there will be a European Championship in Poland.
