| Lithuania, while being a truly ancient land, is rather | | | | both during the Olympics and in other competitions |
| recent player on the international stage when it comes | | | | across the world where they have competed against |
| to existing as an independent state. When it first | | | | incredibly talented teams from foreign countries. |
| declared itself self ruled in last decade of the 20th | | | | Cycling, riding bicycles in a competitive sports challenge, |
| Century, the country quickly passed initiatives | | | | is a very popular sport in this nation and there have |
| establishing programs to encourage sports training and | | | | been a great deal of top ranked cyclists to emerge |
| physical education so that all citizens of this nation | | | | from this country, including a fascinating pair of sisters |
| would be empowered to pursue more active and | | | | named Jolanta and Rasa Polikeviciute who are twins. |
| healthy lives. This has obviously worked well because | | | | In this country, cycling is a very popular sporting event |
| today there are a great many teams for various | | | | among females. As well as cycling, citizens of this |
| sports in Lithuania and just as many special talented | | | | country also play hockey. Less traditional sports that |
| athletes who are popular all over the world. As a | | | | those from Lithuania compete in are alpine skiing that is |
| general rule, the citizens of this country are very | | | | held in the snowy mountainous places as well as |
| pleased to stay healthy and they are known for being | | | | orienteering, a complicated outdoor sport where the |
| very competitive, maintaining much discipline in what | | | | participants do cross-country running paired with |
| they choose to engage in. | | | | making use of their skills in navigation. This loved sport |
| There are quite a few popular sports in Lithuania, | | | | is also offered in variations that add in the utilization of |
| including some that you might already know of. One of | | | | a bicycle or skis. |
| the most played is football, referred to as soccer in | | | | Quite clearly, in this country there are many ways to |
| America. For many years, the term sport meant | | | | participate in a competition, obtain your exercise while |
| football and it is still a popular sport to play in Lithuania, | | | | having a lot of fun. |
| even though the fact that Lithuanians do not have a lot | | | | It is always great to witness a country earn a |
| of outdoor arenas does rather restrict the sport's | | | | reputation for itself in athletics. Internationally known |
| popularity. Football needs huge stadiums and since | | | | players such as Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the NBA |
| these are expensive, many of those from Lithuania | | | | basketball team the Cleveland Cavaliers and Darius |
| prefer to play basketball or other indoor sports that | | | | Kasparaitis, an NHL hockey player with an impressive |
| can be played in a smaller area. Basketball is by far | | | | record of success in both the United States and |
| one of the most popular sports in this country and, in | | | | Russia, prove that Lithuanian athletes are players with |
| fact, the teams of Lithuania have performed very well | | | | a world class amount of talent. |