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Nikolas Deičmans, a student of the Jelgava Specialized Swimming School, has been awarded a scholarship under the World Aquatics Scholarship Programme of the World Aquatics Federation. The scholarship is intended for the 100 most promising young swimmers in the world aged 18 to 27.

The programme is planned for three years: from September 1, 2025, to July 14, 2028, leading up to the Los Angeles Olympic Games. In January, Nikolas traveled to Bahrain, an island country in Asia, where he trains at the World Aquatics Centre of Excellence and studies at Bahrain Polytechnic University.

“The programme provides professional training in a 50-meter pool, strength and conditioning sessions, and a daily routine fully dedicated to high-performance athletic development. At the moment, there are 14 athletes from Latvia, Morocco, Portugal, Syria, Tajikistan, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries, but in total there will be 50 swimmers and 20 divers. This international environment creates healthy competition while also broadening our horizons,” the athlete explains.

They are supported not only by a professional coaching team but also by mentors. For example, world and European swimming champion James Gibson visited to share his experience and even helped with everyday matters.

Alongside his training, Nikolas is also pursuing his studies – both in the part-time Bachelor’s programme in Business Administration at Turība University and in the Bachelor’s programme in Mechatronics Engineering at Bahrain Polytechnic University.

“The biggest difference compared to Latvia is that Friday in Bahrain is a day off, similar to Sunday for us, while the working week starts on Sunday. The academic process is organized in trimesters. Each trimester includes seven courses studied in blocks. Currently, I am studying Arabic, chemistry, biology, mathematics, English, the history of Bahrain, and computer science,” the swimmer outlines his new daily routine, adding that he is still adapting both physically and mentally, including preparing for the fact that in summer air temperatures in Bahrain can reach up to 45°C (now, in winter, they are around 18–22°C).

Nikolas notes that after being accepted into the programme, he had to complete documentation, medical examinations, and obtain a visa. One of the biggest challenges was the legalization of educational documents, as Bahrain required not only his secondary school diploma but also transcripts from grades 11, 10, and even 9, all of which had to be translated and notarized. Jelgava State Gymnasium, which Nikolas graduated from this summer, provided assistance in this process.

“I believe that participation in the World Aquatics Federation scholarship programme is not only my personal achievement, but also recognition of the Jelgava Specialized Swimming School, my coach Astra Ozoliņa, and the Latvian Swimming Federation,” says the athlete, who is determined to compete in the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.