Visvaldis Melderis

Visvaldis Melderis

Personal information
Born	(1915-01-19)19 January 1915 Jelgava, Russian Empire
Died	14 July 1944(1944-07-14) (aged 29) Near Opochka, Pskov Oblast, USSR
Nationality	Latvian
Career information
Playing career	1930s–1943
Position	Centre
Career history
Rīgas ASK
Medals Men's Basketball Representing Latvia EuroBasket 1935 Switzerland National Team 1939 Lithuania National Team

Visvaldis Melderis (19 January 1915 – 14 July 1944) was a Latvian basketball player. Melderis won a gold medal at the 1935 EuroBasket competition, becoming the first European champion. He participated also at the 1936 Summer Olympics and at the 1937 EuroBasket and EuroBasket 1939.

Career

Visvaldis Melderis was born on 19 January 1915 in Jelgava. He graduated Jelgava 2nd. gymnasium and was drafted into Latvian Army. While in the army he started to play basketball for army team Rīgas ASK. He twice became Latvian champion with Rīgas ASK (1939, 1940). He was a captain of Latvian national basketball team from 1938 until 1940. He continued to play basketball during period of Nazi occupation and became Latvian champion for the third time in 1942 playing for RDKA team. Overall he played 40 games in the national basketball team. He also tried other sports like football and track and field. In the Latvian track and field championship in 1934 he won bronze medal in Shot put.

As a former corporal of Latvian Army Melderis was conscripted into Latvian Legion in 1943 and deployed to Eastern front as a part of the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian). He took part in many battles and was killed in action during defensive battles near Latvian border around Opochka, Pskov Oblast.