At simply 19 years outdated, Maksis Kārlis Grandbergs excels each on and off the court docket. The younger Latvian star is showcasing his nice expertise on the 2024 WPV Seaside ParaVolley Males’s World Championship in Yunyang in Chongqing, China, the place he collected memorable wins together with his group.
Reflecting on his group’s down-to-the wire victory towards Slovakia of their final preliminary match, Grandbergs shared, “I feel we as a group confirmed the aggressive spirit by combating again from 8 to 21. We confirmed that we will battle and tackle any group, particularly Slovakia. They’d extra skilled gamers than us, however we demonstrated our resilience and unity.”
Grandbergs’ targets lengthen far past a single victory. He and his group have their sights set on the gold medal. “Clearly, our aim is to win the gold medal,” he stated. “However extra importantly, we need to develop collectively as a group and obtain new highs. This event is particular for us as a result of we’re not as skilled as groups like Poland or India. That is our second to show ourselves on the world stage.”
He’s additionally passionate in regards to the inclusion of seaside paravolley within the Paralympic Video games Sports activities programme, emphasising the disciplines’ distinctive calls for and the distinctive athletes who play it. “This sport is for people who find themselves, I feel, more durable than common skilled athletes,” he defined. “It’s extremely powerful to exit on a stage like that and battle by means of ache and fatigue. We hope to see extra girls’s groups taking part and for this ti acquire the popularity it deserves.”
A flexible athlete, Grandbergs’ love for sports activities started at a younger age. “I’ve been taking part in sports activities since I used to be younger. I really like basketball, soccer, floorball, biking, and volleyball. I simply transfer round each time I’m free,” he stated. This numerous athletic background has constructed his endurance, though the humid situations of his present competitors have been a problem. “I may appear exhausted, however that’s as a result of I’m not used to the air right here. It’s far more humid and moist than in Latvia.”
The younger Latvian athlete can be a devoted pupil and an aspiring instructor. “I’m 19, and at present a Twelfth-grade pupil awaiting commencement. I plan on changing into a math instructor. I’ve been taking part in volleyball for 9 years and sitting volleyball since 2022. My first championship was in France on the European Sitting Volleyball Championship B Division, the place we superior to the elite division and achieved sixth place, a file excessive for Latvia.”
Grandbergs’ skills lengthen into music as properly. He attended music faculty, studying to play the flute, piano, and organ, and sang in a choir. After his voice broke, he shifted his musical focus to hip hop, utilizing it as a medium to precise his feelings and ideas by means of lyrics. This journey not too long ago led him to the “X Issue,” the place he joined on a whim however ended up making it to the TV choice.
