Algirdas Lauritėnas facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | November 5, 1932 Kaunas, Lithuania |
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| Died | August 7, 2001 (aged 68) Kaunas, Lithuania |
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| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Basketball | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Žalgiris Kaunas | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Algirdas Teodoras Lauritėnas (born November 5, 1932 – died August 7, 2001) was a famous Lithuanian basketball player. He was a key member of the Soviet Union's national basketball team during the 1950s. He achieved great success, including winning a silver medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He also helped his team become European champions twice, in 1953 and 1957. In 1955, they earned a bronze medal at the European Championship.
A Basketball Star
Algirdas Lauritėnas was born in Kaunas, Lithuania. From a young age, he showed great talent in basketball. He became a well-known player for the Žalgiris Kaunas club. This team is one of the most famous basketball clubs in Lithuania.
Olympic Achievement
One of Algirdas's biggest achievements was at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He played for the Soviet Union's basketball team. The team performed very well, reaching the final match. They won a silver medal, which was a huge accomplishment for them.
European Champion
Algirdas also had a lot of success in the FIBA EuroBasket championships. These are competitions for national basketball teams in Europe.
- In 1953, his team won the gold medal in Moscow. They were the best team in Europe that year.
- In 1955, they earned a bronze medal in Budapest. This showed their consistent performance.
- In 1957, they once again won the gold medal in Sofia. This made them European champions for the second time with Algirdas on the team.
Algirdas Lauritėnas is remembered as a skilled and important player. He helped his teams achieve many victories. His career showed great dedication to the sport of basketball.
