Apolinaras Grigas is a former Lithuanian rower who carved out his place in the history of Soviet-era rowing through a decade of elite competition. Born in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas just as the Second World War came to an end, Grigas rose through the ranks of Soviet rowing to represent his nation at the European Rowing Championships, where he collected three medals, and at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
Though his Olympic campaign ended in disappointment, his career on the European stage tells the story of a versatile athlete who competed in both the eight and the smaller boat classes. From the silver medal in Vichy in 1967 to another silver in Moscow in 1973, Grigas proved himself a dependable member of the powerful Soviet rowing squads of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Decades later, he remains a respected figure in Lithuanian sporting history, honored by the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee among the country’s Olympic alumni.
This biography covers everything known about Apolinaras Grigas — his early life in Kaunas, his rowing career and medals, his physical stats, his personal life, and what we know about his net worth today.
Apolinaras Grigas Wiki and Biography
| Full Name | Apolinaras Grigas |
|---|---|
| Russian Name | Аполинарас Григас |
| Date of Birth | 3 September 1945 |
| Age | 81 years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | Lithuanian |
| Ethnicity | Lithuanian |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Profession | Former rower (Olympian) |
| Years Active | Mid-1960s – mid-1970s (approximately) |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly disclosed |
Early Life and Background
Apolinaras Grigas was born on 3 September 1945 in Kaunas, Lithuania, at the time the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. He arrived in a world still settling after the Second World War, in a country where sport was becoming an increasingly important part of civic and national identity.
Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city, had a strong sporting culture, and rowing in particular was deeply woven into the region’s traditions. Young Apolinaras came of age in a system that scouted and developed athletic talent from an early age, and he found his way to the water — the discipline that would define his sporting life.
Height, Weight and Physical Stats
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) |
| Measurements | Not publicly documented |
| Eye Color | Not publicly documented |
| Hair Color | Not publicly documented |
| Shoe Size | Not publicly documented |
| Distinctive Features | Classic heavyweight rower’s build of the 1960s era |
At 183 centimeters tall and weighing 80 kilograms, Grigas had the tall, strong frame typical of international rowers of his era. His build suited him to both the power demands of the men’s eight and the technical precision required in the smaller pair and four events.
Rowing Career
| Profession | Competitive rower (Soviet national team) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Rowing |
| Started | Mid-1960s (approximate, per first recorded international appearance 1967) |
| Known For | Three European Rowing Championships medals; 1968 Olympic appearance |
| Team Represented | Soviet Union |
| Career Milestones | Silver – 1967 European Championships, Vichy (men’s eight); Bronze – 1971 European Championships, Copenhagen (men’s eight); Silver – 1973 European Championships, Moscow (coxless four); Competed – 1968 Mexico City Olympics (men’s coxless pair) |
Grigas’s first major international result came at the 1967 European Rowing Championships in Vichy, France, where he was part of the Soviet men’s eight that won the silver medal. The eight is rowing’s flagship event — nine men moving as one — and earning a European silver in it marked Grigas as an athlete of genuine international class.
The following year brought the pinnacle of any athlete’s career: the Olympic Games. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Grigas raced in the men’s coxless pair alongside Vladimir Rikkanen. The pair recorded a time of 7:35.61 in their opening heat, finishing fourth and dropping into the repechage. In the repechage round, the Soviet pair did not finish the race, bringing their Olympic campaign to an abrupt end. Competing at an altitude of around 2,240 meters, the Mexico City regatta at Lake Xochimilco was notoriously punishing for endurance athletes, and several crews struggled in the thin air.
Grigas returned to the European podium in 1971 at the European Championships in Copenhagen, where he again rowed in the Soviet men’s eight, this time earning the bronze medal. His final recorded championship medal came two years later at the 1973 European Rowing Championships in Moscow, where he switched to the smaller boat class and won silver in the men’s coxless four.
Spanning three European medals across six years and two different boat classes, Grigas’s career demonstrates remarkable versatility. After the mid-1970s, he faded from the international record, consistent with retirement from elite rowing. He is recognized today by the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee as one of Lithuania’s Olympic athletes.
Net Worth
| Net Worth (Estimated) | Not publicly disclosed |
|---|---|
| Income Sources | Athletic career (Soviet era); any post-retirement career or pension not publicly documented |
Unlike modern professional athletes, rowers of the Soviet amateur era did not earn commercial salaries, endorsements, or prize money in any modern sense. Apolinaras Grigas competed as an amateur athlete within the Soviet sports system, and no reliable public record of his net worth or financial status exists. Any figure published elsewhere would be speculation, so Xposed does not present an estimated number for him.
10 Interesting Facts About Apolinaras Grigas
- Apolinaras Grigas was born on 3 September 1945 in Kaunas, Lithuania, making him a member of the post-war generation of athletes.
- He competed internationally for the Soviet Union, even though he was Lithuanian by nationality and birth.
- His name also appears in Russian as Аполинарас Григас, reflecting the Soviet-era spelling conventions.
- Grigas won his first European medal — a silver in the men’s eight — at the 1967 championships in Vichy, France.
- He raced at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in the men’s coxless pair with teammate Vladimir Rikkanen.
- Their Olympic heat time of 7:35.61 placed them fourth, sending them to the repechage where they did not finish.
- He earned a European bronze medal in the men’s eight at Copenhagen in 1971.
- His last championship medal came in 1973 in Moscow, a silver in the men’s coxless four — a different boat class from his earlier eight successes.
- Standing at 183 cm and 80 kg, his physique matched the classic build of elite rowers of the 1960s and 1970s.
- He is listed among Lithuania’s Olympic athletes by the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee, honoring his role in the country’s sporting history.
Conclusion
Apolinaras Grigas may not be a household name, but his rowing career represents something meaningful: a Lithuanian athlete who reached the highest levels of a demanding sport during the Soviet era, winning three European Championship medals and wearing his country’s colors at the Olympic Games. His journey from Kaunas to the podiums of Vichy, Copenhagen, and Moscow, and to the start line in Mexico City, is a testament to years of disciplined training on the water.
As he enters his eighties, Grigas belongs to a generation of athletes whose achievements were recorded in championship result books rather than highlight reels — and whose stories deserve to be remembered. His medals remain part of both Soviet and Lithuanian rowing history.
FAQs About Apolinaras Grigas
Who is Apolinaras Grigas?
Apolinaras Grigas is a former Lithuanian rower who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s, winning three European Rowing Championships medals and competing at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
How old is Apolinaras Grigas?
Born on 3 September 1945, Apolinaras Grigas is 81 years old as of 2026.
Where was Apolinaras Grigas born?
He was born in Kaunas, which was then part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union.
What is Apolinaras Grigas’s height and weight?
He stands 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) tall and weighed 80 kg (176 lb) during his competitive rowing career.
What medals did Apolinaras Grigas win?
He won silver in the men’s eight at the 1967 European Championships in Vichy, bronze in the men’s eight at the 1971 European Championships in Copenhagen, and silver in the men’s coxless four at the 1973 European Championships in Moscow.
Did Apolinaras Grigas compete at the Olympics?
Yes. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City in the men’s coxless pair with Vladimir Rikkanen, but the pair did not finish their repechage race.
What nationality is Apolinaras Grigas?
He is Lithuanian. During his competitive career he represented the Soviet Union, as Lithuania was part of the USSR at the time.
Is Apolinaras Grigas married?
There is no publicly available information about Apolinaras Grigas’s marital status or partner.
What is Apolinaras Grigas’s net worth?
His net worth has not been publicly disclosed. As a Soviet-era amateur athlete, he did not earn the commercial income modern professional athletes receive, and no reliable estimate exists.
Is Apolinaras Grigas still alive?
Yes, as far as public records indicate. Born in 1945, he is 81 years old as of 2026, and no obituary or death record has been published.
Last Updated: October 2026 | Fact-checked by Xposed editorial team