Rolandas and Rimvydas Kriauzliai, from a small village in Lithuania called Senoji Radiškė, are no strangers to international competition. Before they were even 20 years old they had already triumphed several times at Special Olympics World Games in athletics and canoeing. In 2019, when the brothers began studying at the Kaunas Education Center of Technologies, they fell in love with a new sport: basketball. Thus began a new stage in their sporting career and new adventures on the international stage.
At the FIBA 3x3 Basketball Open in Mies, Switzerland, on 14 and 15 June, the brothers were among the Special Olympics Lithuania team that decisively won its matches against Switzerland and Hungary in Pool C on the first day of the tournament, going on to clinch a 6-4 victory against Italy in a hard-fought final. The participation of the brothers and all of the Special Olympics athletes at the FIBA Open was supported by Toyota Motor Europe.
Here, Rolandas and Rimvydas chat to us about the joy of the FIBA Open, playing Unified and post-match lake swimming!
What did you like most about the tournament?
Rolandas: What I liked most was the atmosphere of the tournament—all the participants were very friendly. Every game felt like a celebration, and the final was unforgettable. It was amazing to represent my team and achieve victory together with my brother. It’s really great to be a winner—during the award ceremony, you feel proud and uplifted.
Rimvydas: What impressed me the most was the opportunity to meet teams from other countries—it was very interesting to see how others play and to learn from them. I also really liked the team spirit—we were all like one family, supporting each other.
What was the best moment from the trip to Switzerland?
Rolandas: The best moment for me was when, after the final victory, we all went to swim together in the lake with our teammates. It was an amazing feeling—we were happy, proud, and felt like one team.
Rimvydas: It was a good moment to relax after all the games and enjoy what we had achieved.
Do you prefer Unified Sports or traditional basketball?
Rimvydas: We like both traditional and unified basketball, but I prefer Unified. It’s fun to play together with partners—we all help each other and feel like a team. It’s not just a game, but also friendship.
Rolandas: I like both traditional and Unified basketball, but I like Unified more. It’s really fun to play with partners because you feel a strong team, and everyone helps each other. It’s not just a game, but also friendship.
What does it feel like to play together with your twin brother?
Rolandas and Rimvydas: Playing together is really fun! We know each other very well and can trust each other completely—sometimes we don’t even need words, just a glance is enough. We always feel like a strong team because we know we’ll support each other in any situation.
