Weightlifter Viktors Ščerbatihs has won Latvia’s first medal—a bronze—in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with his Aug. 19 performance in the +105 kilogram event.

The 33-year-old athlete from Dobele, who also is a member of the Saeima, was considered in media reports as the frontrunner for gold in the heaviest men’s weightlifting class. But it was Germany’s Matthias Steiner who stole the show, lifting a total 461 kilograms in the snatch and clean-and-jerk portions of the event, according to the official Web site of the Beijing Games.

Ščerbatihs, who won a silver medal 2004 Games in Athens, lifted a total of 448 kilograms for the bronze. Evgeny Chigishev of Russia took the silver medal with a total of lift of 460 kilograms. The event took place in the Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics Gymnasium.

Estonia so far has won one silver medal, won by Tõnu Endrekson and Jüri Jaanson in the men’s double sculls rowing competition. Lithuania has two medals. Mindaugas Mizgaitis won bronze in the men’s 120 kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling event, while Gintarė Volungevičiūtė took the silver in the laser radial sailing event.

Latvia’s next ambassador to Germany has received his letter of accreditation from President Valdis Zatlers, the president’s press office announced Aug. 18.

Ilgvars Kļava replaces Mārtiņš Virsis, who served as Latvia’s chief diplomat in Berlin since September 2002. Kļava has been assistant state secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In Kļava’s meeting with Zatlers, the two discussed German and Latvian relations in the areas of economics, culture and education, including the Essentia Baltica culture festival that continues in Germany through the year. They also discussed the situation in Georgia.

Virsis, according the foreign ministry, will now be the ministry’s inspector general.

Latvians joined other Eastern European groups in an Aug. 15 demonstration in Washington, D.C., against the Russian invasion of Georgia—and they plan to do it again Aug. 16.

The protesters demanded Russia’s withdrawal from Georgia and asked the International Olympic Committee to strip Russia of the right to host the Olympic Games in 2014. Responding to Georgian military operations in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, Russian forces entered Georgia on Aug. 8 as this summer’s Olympic Games were beginning in Beijing, China.

Russia plans to host the 2014 Games in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, the same place where Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Aug. 16 signed a truce with Georgia. But the ceasefire came among reports of Russian forces continuing to advance within Georgia. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili signed the agreement on Aug. 15.

The Washington protest, supported by the American Latvian Association, took place near the White House and at the Russian Embassy, the Joint Baltic American National Committee said in a press release.

Another demonstration is scheduled at 3 p.m. Aug. 16 in Lafayette Park in front of the White House, the ALA said in an e-mail to supporters.

In Latvia, President Valdis Zatlers on Aug. 16 signed a book of condolences at the Georgian Embassy in Rīga. Zatlers said Latvia is working to quickly send international observers to Georgia to oversee the truce, according to president’s press office. Zatlers received some criticism in the media for failing to travel to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi in a show of support with the presidents of Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine. He remained in Beijing at the Olympic Games, but Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis did join the presidents.

Latvia’s government will contribute LVL 100,000 in humanitarian aid to Georgia.