Gintautas Umaras (born May 20, 1963 in Kaunas

Kaunas

Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...

) is a retired track

Track cycling

Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....

 and road racing cyclist from Lithuania

Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...

, who represented the USSR

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

 at the 1988 Summer Olympics

1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

 in Seoul, South Korea. There he won the gold medal in the men's 4 km individual pursuit and in the men's team pursuit, alongside Vyacheslav Ekimov, Dmitry Nelyubin

Dmitry Nelyubin

Dmitry Nelyubin was a Soviet-Russian track cyclist. At the age of 17 Nelyubin, together with teammates Viatcheslav Ekimov, Artūras Kasputis and Gintautas Umaras, won the 4000 meter team pursuit event at the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul. Nelyubin was killed in a street fight on the New Year...

 and Artūras Kasputis

Arturas Kasputis

Artūras Kasputis is a retired track and road racing cyclist from Lithuania, who represented the USSR at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. There he won the gold medal in the men's 4.000 team pursuit, alongside Viacheslav Ekimov, Dmitry Neliubin and Gintautas Umaras. During the Soviet...

. During the Soviet time he trained at Dynamo sports society in Klaipėda

Klaipeda

Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....

.

For most of his career he competed at amateur level. He was a professional road cyclist from 1989 to 1991. Umaras achieved several world records: in 1984 he broke the record in men's 5 km individual pursuit; in 1985, 1986, and 1987 – in men's 4 km individual pursuit; and in 1988 – in men's 4 km team pursuit.

Umaras was among the people who helped to establish the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania

National Olympic Committee of Lithuania

National Olympic Committee of Lithuania is the National Olympic Committee representing Lithuania.- History :Lithuania's national Olympic committee was established and recognized at 1924. At the same year LTOK send first delegation to 1924 Summer Olympics. During Soviet Union occupation time LTOK...

 when Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

. He was appointed as one of its vice presidents. Gintautas and his brother Mindaugas run several sport equipment shops in Vilnius

Vilnius

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...

 and Klaipėda

Klaipeda

Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....

.