Antanas Čikotas

Antanas Čikotas first took up rowing whilst studying at the Lithuanian Institute of Physical Education in the early 1970s. Čikotas soon became one of the best rowers of his time, winning multiple titles at both the Lithuanian and Soviet championships. He won his first titles at the former in 1973 with victory in the quadruple sculls and the coxed fours. The following year he won another coxed fours title in addition to being part of the winning crew in the eight. From then on, Čikotas specialised in the eight, winning three consecutive Lithuanian titles from 1978 to 1980, as well as back-to-back Soviet titles in 1976 and 1977.

From 1975 to 1977 Čikotas was part of the Soviet national rowing team, competing in the eight at the 1976 Montréal Olympics. The Soviet crew failed to advance from the repêchage round at the Games, but did win the B Final ahead of Canada and the United States. He continued to compete in veteran competitions, winning gold in the coxed fours at the 1995 World Veterans Championships in the Netherlands. Čikotas also worked as a coach and was a technical director of the Lithuanian Rowing Federation.