Author: Ilze Āķe-Vīksne, public relations project manager of RSU Communication Department
Photo from LOK and RSU LSPA archive
Agita Ābele, professor of RSU Latvian Sports Pedagogy Academy (LSPA) and head of figure skating specialization, has also been selected as a figure skating judge at the Olympic tournament, which will take place from February 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina (Italy). After returning from judging competitions, Agita Ābele will continue her work as an expert in the Olympic studio of Latvian Television (LTV), commenting on the Olympic figure skating competitions, where her knowledge and professional point of view have been highly appreciated by the audience for years.
The only ISU judge of the highest category in Latvia with the right to judge at the Olympic Games
Agita Ábele is the only member of the International Skating Association (International Skating Union, ISU) a judge of the highest category in Latvia, who has qualified for judging at the Olympic Games in individual and pair skating. She will judge the men’s individual skating at the Olympic Arena in Milan from February 10 to 15. ISU Agita Ábele obtained the highest category certificate in 2013, and this will be her third Olympic Games as a judge – after PyeongChang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022.
Many years of experience in the world’s elite and on television
In addition to the Olympic Games, her professional experience includes judging multiple world and European championships since 2000, as well as commentating six Olympic figure skating tournaments on LTV. Also this year, LTV viewers will hear the voice of the competent, accurate and understandable figure skating expert.
In January, Agita Ábele commented on the European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, confirming the consistently high professional bar.
The road to Olympic judging – high criteria and international selection
The road to Olympic judging is complicated – in order for the country to be represented in the Olympic tournament by figure skaters, the judge must have the highest level of qualification, relevant experience and must pass the international draw.
The fact that Latvia will be represented at the Olympic Games by figure skaters Deniss Vasiļjevs, for whom this will be the third Olympic start, and Fedirs Kuļišs, opened the possibility for a Latvian judge to participate in the Olympic Games as well.
Academic experience as a basis for the work of a judge
For more than 25 years, Agita Ābele has been working at RSU LSPA. She has a doctorate in pedagogy, a master’s degree in psychology and sports science, extensive scientific activity and long-term teaching experience. As the professor herself emphasizes, academic experience is an essential support in a judge’s work – it helps to accurately navigate criteria, numbers, facts and theory. Judging in figure skating requires not only in-depth knowledge of hundreds of technical elements, but also an excellent understanding of the quality of movements, performance composition and sense of music.
From the career of an athlete to the growth of young coaches
The professor started figure skating at the age of five, subsequently becoming the Latvian champion in figure skating five times. The athlete’s career had to be stopped at the age of 19 due to an ankle injury, however, her love for this sport remained, and to this day she actively helps young coaches in their professional development.
RSU LSPA’s contribution to the Latvian Olympic delegation
It is significant that the Latvian delegation at the XXV Winter Olympic Games includes 33 RSU and RSU LSPA graduates and employees, making up almost a quarter of the entire delegation. Professor Agita Ābele’s participation in the Olympic Games as a judge and expert is a clear confirmation of RSU LSPA’s contribution to the development of top-level sports, education and science.
