Leonīds Vedējs

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameLeonīds•Vedējs
Used nameLeonīds•Vedējs
Born12 October 1918 in Daugavpils, Daugavpils (LAT)
Died4 February 1995 in Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA)
AffiliationsUS Rīga, Rīga (LAT)
NOC Latvia

Biography

Leonīds Vedējs played competitive ice hockey from 1931-47. He skated at the 1936 Winter Olympics and the World Championships in 1933, 1935, 1938, and 1939, and the European Championships in 1932. Vedējs carried the Latvian flag at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Opening Ceremony in 1936. He played most of his career around Rīga, best known for his time with Universitates Sports (US) Rīga, but he also was with Rīga City for a few years, although he played his final season with Augsburg HC in Germany.

After World War II, Vedējs moved to the United States where he coached local players. He also lived in Rio de Janeiro in the 1980s, also coaching there. He was a big booster of Latvian ice hockey in the 1990s, notably supporting the women’s team financially.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1936 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) LAT Leonīds Vedējs
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) Latvia =13

Other participations

Games Role NOC As
1936 Winter Olympics Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony LAT Leonīds Vedējs