Ruta Meilutyte

The British media openly expresses pity that the Olympic sensation – the 15-year-old swimmer Ruta Meilutyte – decided to represent her home country Lithuania, and not Britain.

The Lithuanian press has already dubbed her «swimming princess». She suddenly became the biggest news in both Lithuania and Britain, where she currently lives and studies.

Britain may not be as happy as Lithuania is about the young Olympian gold medal winner in Women’s 100m breaststroke. Nevertheless, the girl is not left without attention and the media find more and more opportunities to tell about this previously unknown swimming talent, Neatkarīga Rīta Avīze (Independent Morning Newspaper) writes.

Information about the young athlete has taken over the Lithuanian press and internet. Basketball gave away its leading position as Lithuania’s most popular sport to swimming, at least temporarily. Many people are happy, say words of admiration, wish different things. Some comments though add a drop of tar, noting that Ruta represented her new home (Britain) very well. These comments are not against the swimmer, but they do note the country’s attitude towards other sports.

«Lithuania doesn’t even have a swimming pool, how can we prepare good sportsmen,»- some columnist wrote. Some other person said that the young swimmer’s achievement does not belong to Lithuania, but to Britain instead, where she was trained by an English coach. Britain will ensure her a good career in sports, and the fact that she was born in Lithuania means nothing, the angry comment states.

The swimming princess is critical about this: «I will not be an English citizen. I only plan to live here. I will always remain a Lithuanian. I will never refuse to represent my home country. It is not negotiable, but many still ask. I believe it is a silly thing to ask».

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