Latvian racewalkers Saulgriezis and Liepiņa set to compete at European Championships in Birmingham

On Saturday morning, Birmingham will host the race walking events of the European Athletics Championships, with Latvia represented by two athletes — Raivo Saulgriezis and Modra Liepiņa.

For Saulgriezis, this will not be his first major international start, as he already has experience competing at a high level. This means he has a clear idea of what to expect, both physically and mentally, as he competes against strong international rivals.

For Liepiņa, however, the upcoming race will be an entirely new experience — it will mark her first time competing on the track at a European Championships. Notably, this significant start coincides with her vacation period, which she has chosen to spend representing Latvia at an international-level competition.

Both racewalkers have been preparing for this challenge recently, and the competition will begin early in the morning, a common practice in race walking events to avoid the effects of daytime heat on athletes' performance.