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Raimonds Bergmanis

Raimonds Bergmanis
12.Saeimas deputāts Raimonds Bergmanis (15818566157).jpg
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
7 July 2015
Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma
Preceded by Raimonds Vējonis
Personal details
Born (1966-07-25) 25 July 1966 (age 50)
Pļaviņas, Soviet Union
(now Latvia)
Political party Green Party
Competition record
Strongman
Representing  Latvia
World's Strongest Man
7th 1996 World's Strongest Man
5th 1997 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2001 World's Strongest Man
3rd 2002 World's Strongest Man
5th 2003 World's Strongest Man
4th 2004 World's Strongest Man
World Strongman Challenge
2nd 2003
Arnold Strongman Classic
5th 2002
3rd 2003
3rd 2004
8th 2006
IFSA Strongman World Championships
5th 2005
IFSA European Championships
4th 2005
World Muscle Power Championships
1st 1997
2nd 1998
2nd 1999
Representing  Latvia
Men's Weightlifting
European Weightlifting Championships
Total
Silver medal – second place 1997 Rijeka +108 kg

Raimonds Bergmanis (born 25 July 1966) is a Latvian politician and the current Minister of Defence. He is a former Olympic weightlifter and retired strongman competitor.

Bergmanis reached the finals in the World's Strongest Man contest several times, finishing 3rd in 2002, and 4th in 2003 and 2004. He also competed in the 2001 contest, but was eliminated in the qualifying heats. He won the World Muscle Power Championships in 1997 and has also competed in the Arnold's Strongest Man Contest; his best result was a third place in the 2003 competition.

Bergmanis was part of the Latvian Olympic Weightlifting team, and has set 21 Latvian records. He is a three-time Olympian (1992, 1996 and 2000). In 1992 he carried the Latvian flag at the opening ceremony, the first person to do so since 1936 when independent Latvia last participated at a Summer Olympics.

After the end of his career, Bergmanis worked in Latvian television and presented a number of programs including "Happy Family" and "The Royal jokes tournament" and was commentator for the Latvian Strongman Championships. He was elected as a president of the Latvian Olympic club, and had previously been a board member and vice president. In March 2013, he was elected one of the vice presidents of the Latvian Olympic Committee.

In 2013 he was elected as one of the vice presidents of the Latvian Olympic Committee. He has worked in the Latvian National Armed Forces.

Bergmanis is a member of the Latvian Green Party, part of the Union of Greens and Farmers political alliance. He was elected to the Latvian parliament in 2014. He became minister of defense in 2015 after his predecessor Raimonds Vējonis was elected President of Latvia.


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