Jānis Daliņš facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Nationality | Latvian | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 5 November 1904 Valmiera, Livonian Governorate, Russian Empire |
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| Died | 11 June 1978 (aged 73) Melbourne, Australia |
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| Height | 180 cm | ||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Latvia |
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| Sport | Race walking | ||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 5–50 km | ||||||||||||||||
| Club | Valmieras Sporta Biedrība | ||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 10 km – 44:45.8 20 km – 1.34:26.0 (1933) 30 km – 2.31:30.6 (1934) 50 km – 4.37:50, 2 (1937) |
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Medal record
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Jānis Daliņš (born November 5, 1904 – died June 11, 1978) was a famous Latvian athlete. He was a race walker, which is a sport where people walk very fast over long distances. Jānis Daliņš made history by becoming the first Latvian to win an Olympic medal. He earned a silver medal in the 50 km race walk at the 1932 Olympics.
He also won a gold medal at the 1934 European Championships. During the 1930s, he set seven world records in race walking. At the 1936 Olympics, he was leading the race at 30 km. Sadly, he had to stop because of a leg injury.
About Jānis Daliņš
Jānis Daliņš started his sports career a bit later than most athletes. His first competition was when he was 22 years old. Just a few months after that, he set a new Latvian record. This record was for the 5000-meter walk.
In 1932, he achieved his first world record. This record was for the 25-mile distance. After the 1936 Olympics, Jānis Daliņš decided to take a break from sports. He wanted to focus on his farm and his family.
Around 1940, he started competing again. He even won the Latvian championships in 1942. In 1944, he moved from Latvia to Germany. There, he won his last race in 1947.
In 1949, Jānis Daliņš moved to Australia with his family. His wife, Ella, and their children, Rudite, Ivars, and Jānis, went with him. When they first arrived, they stayed at a special center for new immigrants. This center was in Victoria, Australia.
Jānis worked as a carpenter in a town called Benalla. He helped build many homes in Australia after the war. After finishing his work contract, he moved his family to Melbourne. In Melbourne, he raised his children and enjoyed his favorite hobby, which was fishing. He also managed a sports club for several years, from 1959 to 1964.
In 1932, Jānis Daliņš received a special award. It was called the Order of the Three Stars 5th Class. This award is one of the highest honors in Latvia.
His Legacy in Sports
Jānis Daliņš' success made race walking very popular in Latvia. Because of him, two more Latvian athletes won Olympic medals in race walking. These were Adalberts Bubenko in 1936 and Aigars Fadejevs in 2000.
Many people consider Jānis Daliņš to be the best athlete from Latvia before World War II. There is a famous phrase in Latvia about him. It says: "Ak, kaut man Daliņa kājas būtu". This means "Oh, if only I had Daliņš' legs." It was originally the title of a song from the 1930s.
Jānis Daliņš is still a very well-known name in Latvia today. In his hometown of Valmiera, there is a stadium and a street named after him. This shows how much he is remembered and respected.
See also
In Spanish: Jānis Dāliņš para niños
