On Friday, 26th of September, representatives of the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) visited Madona Municipality to learn more about ongoing and planned investments in regional sports and education infrastructure. The main focus of the visit was the Smeceres sils sports and recreation centre, located just outside Madona – a site that has already seen rapid development and has even more ambitious plans for the future.
Over the past few years, Smeceres sils has established itself as one of Latvia’s leading winter sports venues with growing international recognition. In February 2023, the centre successfully hosted the IBU Junior European Championships, and two more IBU Junior Cup events are already scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
The visiting delegation included Dāvis Mārtiņš Daugavietis, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry and Member of Parliament; Edgars Pukinsks, Deputy State Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs; and Indriķis Putniņš, Head of the Minister’s Office. They were welcomed by Agris Lungevičs, Chairman of Madona Municipality Council, Deputy Chairman Māris Justs, Head of Smeceres sils Gunārs Ikaunieks, international event organiser Gundars Upenieks, and Lauris Bračka, Board Member of the Latvian Biathlon Federation.
“We are currently designing a new facility that includes a technical and officials’ building, improved access roads, an underpass tunnel, and a snow storage area. These developments would allow us to qualify for the IBU ‘A’ license,” said Gunārs Ikaunieks, Director of Smeceres sils.
“That would open up opportunities to host even larger-scale international competitions – not only in biathlon but also in cross-country skiing, orienteering, mountain biking, and other sports. The venue already meets IBU standards: we have an electronic biathlon shooting range, well-maintained tracks, training facilities, athlete and spectator amenities, and logistics infrastructure. The next priority is the new building with spectator stands, which would significantly improve the overall event experience.”
Parliamentary Secretary Dāvis Mārtiņš Daugavietis emphasized the broader impact of sport infrastructure:
“Events of this scale bring real economic value – not only to Madona but to the entire region. They benefit hotels, restaurants, local producers, and service providers. Continued investment in facilities like Smeceres sils strengthens regional development, international visibility, and provides high-quality training and competition conditions for our athletes.”
In addition to Smeceres sils, the delegation also visited several educational institutions in Bērzaune Parish and the Ērgļi Primary School, where significant upgrades have taken place.
“Over the past year, we’ve implemented major improvements in the school building and completed a full reconstruction of the sports stadium, which now serves not only students but the broader community,” said Agris Lungevičs, Chairman of Madona Municipality.
“This visit was an excellent opportunity to show the Ministry what we’ve already achieved and to discuss future cooperation – both in terms of improving education quality and continuing the development of regional sports infrastructure.”