RSU Sports Day – a long-standing tradition at RSU

The traditional Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Sports Day for first year students takes place at the beginning of the Autumn semester. This year, the event took place at the RSU Sports Club on 7 September. As we can learn at the RSU History Museum, this day has a history going back more than 60 years.

Even 50-60 years ago, as students returned to their benches after working in collective farms over the summer or participating in the big autumn clean-up, they still participated in cross-country races and competed in various outdoor sports.

For example, in 1961, the traditional autumn cross-country race of the Rīga Medical Institute (now – RSU) was held on 31 October in Šmerlis Forest. All students took part in the race. Female students ran 500m, while male students ran 1,000m. The winners of the team competition were awarded with a free tour. 55 years ago, the 1st place in the team competition went to the 1st year group 2a of the Faculty of Medicine which received 91 points, the 2nd place went to the 3rd year group of the same year with 133.1 points. The individual results of the students were also recorded.

​Students participating in the cross-country race in Šmerlis Forest. From the RSU Museum’s collection:  photo from the 1961, 31 October edition of the Rīga Medical Institute publication "Padomju Mediķis"

The RSU Spartakiad athletics competition was held the week after the cross-country race, where students competed in 100m and 800m races, high jump, long jump, shot put, and a 4 x 100m relay.

​Lecturer Banga at the Lokomotīve Stadium (now Arkādijas Stadium) reports to the Vice-Rector for Studies Vladislavs Korzāns that the participants of the VIII Spartakiad of the Rīga Medical Institute have lined up. From the RSU Museum’s collection.

Sports Day activities at RSU most often took place at the university's sports facility at 3 Cigoriņu iela (formerly – F. Brīvzemnieka iela) or in the nearby Uzvara Park, Arkādija Park, and at Māra Pond.

VIDEO. RSU Sports Club in 1956

Excerpt from the "Padomju Latvija" newsreel, Issue No. 41. From the Latvian State Archive of Audiovisual Documents

Over the years, Sports Day has gone from being a competition for all students to an event for first-year students only. Now students compete in both individual and team sports: volleyball, basketball, football, 100m sprint, 1,000m race, rowing on a rowing machine, sumo, power relay, skiing and rowing on ergometers, paintball biathlon, etc.

25 September 2009. Sports Day in the courtyard of the RSU Sports Club. Photo from the RSU History Museum’s collection

25 September 2015. Sports Day in Uzvara Park. Paintball biathlon

25 September 2009. Cross-country race at Māra Pond. Photo from the RSU History Museum’s collection

5 September 2019. Sports Day in Uzvara Park. Football on an inflatable platform