The best Lithuanian student athletes were awarded
On 12th of December, evening of honors and awards of the best Lithuanian student athletes was held at Kaunas Town Hall. The best Lithuanian student athletes who have made their sporting achievements known at universities and the country in international sports arenas this year was awarded in this event.
President of the Lithuanian Student Sports Association Česlovas Garbaliauskas with Vice President Romualdas Ginevičius received the best individual assessments of Lithuanian university student athletes.
Marijus Užupis, a first-year student at Vytautas Magnus University, was named the best athlete of the year in 2019. This student’s list of 2019 athletic achievements includes 3rd place in the European 3×3 Championship and 1st place in the European University 3×3 Basketball Championship. Also, Marijus Užupis together with VMU basketball team became the champion of Lithuanian Student Basketball League, winner of Baltic Student Games basketball tournament and 3rd place in European University Basketball Championship.
The best athletes of last season’s Lithuanian students’ basketball, volleyball and football leagues were awarded at the sportsmen’s honor evening. VMU third year student Regimantas Miniotas (coach Arūnas Juknevičius) was chosen as the most useful basketball player.
Vytenė Vitkauskaitė (coach Rimantas Pacenka) was recognized as the best beach volleyball player.
The best football player of the hall – VMU Education Academy graduate Justinas Zagurskas (coach Donatas Gražulis).
The top ten student athletes were announced at the end of the ceremony. The awards were represented by head of the Education, Science and Sports Group of Lithuanian Ministry of Education, Science and Sports Rolandas Zuoza and Head of the Sports Department of Kaunas City Municipality Mindaugas Šivickas.
Vytautas Magnus University rowers, winners of the World Junior (up to 23) Championship silver medals and European Youth Championship bronze medals Mantas Juškevičius and Povilas Stankūnas ranked honorable III place.
Aurelija Tamašauskaitė, a fourth-year student at VMU Education Academy, contemporary pentathlon athlete and thir year’s European Youth Champion, stayed in fifth place.
VMU 3×3 Basketball Team became the best Lithuanian student sports team of 2019: Marijus Užupis, Aurimas Urbonas and Ignas Labutis (head coach Arūnas Juknevičius). VMU team became the winner of 3×3 basketball championships of Lithuanian and European universities.
The festive evening was completed by musical works performed by VMU Music Academy students Paulius Kaminskas and Patricija Gudliauskienė.
