On Tuesday evening, Lithuania’s best athletes walked the red carpet in Vilnius. The prestigious Lithuanian Sports Awards honored the best Olympic and Paralympic athletes of 2025, including students from Vytautas Magnus University (VDU).
The breakthrough of the year in Olympic sports was made by the rowing duo of VDU student Arnedas Kelmelis and his colleague Povilas Juškevičius. Having only started rowing together in the summer, the pair took 5th place at the World Championships. For 22-year-old Povilas, it was the first World Championship A final of his career, while for 23-year-old Arnedas, it was his debut at the world championships.
Swimmer and VDU student Rūta Meilutytė was named the best athlete of the year. The Olympic champion has been named the best athlete of the year a record six times. The swimmer continued her dominance in the 50-meter breaststroke event. R. Meilutytė won the gold medal at the world championships in the long course pool and triumphed in this event for the fourth time in a row. However, this year’s title is even sweeter, as this distance is Olympic for the first time.
The Olympic Sports Team of the Year was selected for the second time in a row by the 3×3 basketball team, which became European champions for the first time in our country’s history. The golden team consisted of VDU students Marijus Užupis, Evaldas Džiaugys, Ignas Vaitkus, and Aurelijus Pukelis.
The Lithuanian Sports Awards are a special occasion to bring the entire sports community together in one place and sincerely thank them for their dedication, work, and achievements. Today, we honor the most outstanding athletes and their coaches, but everyone who contributes to the growth of sports in Lithuania on a daily basis – quietly, patiently, and with great love for their work – also deserves respect and gratitude.
Together, we look forward to the coming year – we eagerly await the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina. Therefore, we wish everyone a memorable Winter Olympics and a cozy and peaceful holiday season surrounded by their loved ones,” said LTOK President and Olympic champion Daina Gudzinevičiūtė.
Information from LTOK.lt and VDU




