Jānis Ķipurs

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameJānis•Ķipurs
Used nameJānis•Ķipurs
Other namesYanis Uldisovich Kipurs, Янис Улдисович Кипурс
Born3 January 1958 in Kurmene, Vecumnieku novads (LAT)
Measurements178 cm / 86 kg
AffiliationsDinamo Rīga, Rīga (LAT)
NOC Latvia Soviet Union
Nationality Latvia
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 1
Total 2

Biography

Jānis Ķipurs was one of the best Soviet/Latvian bobsleigh pilots of the 80s along with Zintis Ekmanis. The high point of his career was at the 1988 Winter Olympics where he piloted the Soviet teams to gold in the 2-man event and bronze in the 4-man event. He also won a bronze at the 1989 World Championships with brakeman Aldis Intlers, was 1984 European Champion with Aivars Šnepsts, and won silver at the 1987 European Championships with Vladimir Aleksandrov, all in the 2-man event. Ķipurs won gold in the 2-man event and silver in the combined event at the 1988-89 World Cup. He was Soviet champion in the 2-man event in 1982-83 and in the 4-man event in 1986 and won the Latvian SSR Championships in the 2-man event in 1984-85 and 1987. In 1988 Ķipurs was selected as Latvian Athlete of the Year. After his sporting career, he worked as a bobsledding coach. In 1993-95 and 1997-2002 Kipurs was a coach with the Swiss national bobsleigh team, while in 1996 he was coach of the United States national team, moving to the French national team in 2003.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1984 Winter Olympics Bobsleigh (Bobsleigh) URS LAT Jānis Ķipurs
Two, Men (Olympic) Aivars Šnepsts 4
Four, Men (Olympic) Soviet Union 1 6
1988 Winter Olympics Bobsleigh (Bobsleigh) URS LAT Jānis Ķipurs
Two, Men (Olympic) Vladimir Kozlov 1 Gold
Four, Men (Olympic) Soviet Union 2 3 Bronze

Other participations

Games Role NOC As
1992 Winter Olympics Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony LAT Jānis Ķipurs

Special Notes