Arvids Freidenfelds
Nationality
Latvian / Bauska, LatviaFavourite Stroke
ButterflyBio
Arvids has been involved in swimming from a very early age. What started as a medical necessity, turned into a lifelong passion. Being part of one of the most established swimming schools in Latvia and competing at National level, soon led to representing his country at International meets. After graduating from university, Arvids moved to London where he developed his coaching skills with a wide range of swimmers of all abilities and ambitions. Although he was always a pool swimmer, Arvids has now been tempted by the open-water and has shown to have real talent in this environment.
Why Swimming
Always been crazy about water. In fact - the very first time I learned how to swim nearly ended in tears. I got so excited that I could get across the river doing backstroke kick that I kept on going back and forth… until I ran out of strength in the middle, went under for a while, and got pulled out.
For me it is the one and only sport you can make into whatever you want it to be. It can be absolute relaxation or the toughest challenge of your life. It is up to you if and how far you want to push yourself. But if you have swimming as one of your main activities when growing up it sticks with you for the rest of your life... especially the competitive side of it!! The beauty for me is that I can now take my pool swimming ability into the open-water environment – it’s the same skills but in a different sport with new challenges and demands. That’s very exciting!
Major Sporting Achievements
Current National (Latvia) Record Holder – member of 4x200 Freestyle relay (s/c) 7:45.72
Multiple National (Latvia) age-group champion in various distances across Freestyle and Butterfly
UK fin swimming open championship 100m stereo-fins Champion
PB - 100 Free - 52.6
PB - 100 Fly - 55.2