The Best of GRReporter
flag_bg flag_gr flag_gb

The legend of the Greek field and track athletics – Giannis Palamiotis passed away

07 February 2010 / 10:02:48  GRReporter
3097 reads

At the age of 96 passed away one of the greatest representatives of the classic sport in Greece, the athlete in triple jump Giannis Palamiotis. Palamiotis was five times gold medalist from the championships of Greece and three times gold medalist in the Balkan championships. The greatest success of the field and track athlete on an international level is his fourth place in the European championship in Paris in 1938. In 1950 he takes the fourteenth place in the championship in Brussels.

He was born in Karditsa in 1914 in the family of farmers. In his early childhood he almost does nothing in field and track athletics. The young Palamiotis has a greater interest in football. He finds out about his great possibilities in the track and field athletics when he joins the army and his superior sees in him a true athlete. He leads him into signing up in the gymnastics union in Trikala. Being a member of the union of Trikala he takes part in many sports events within the country and outside the border, where he wins a lot of prizes. At the end of 1937 Palamiotis transfers to Panathinaikos and wears and competes with the colors of the team for 12 whole years – until the end of 1950. For the first time he beats the record in Greece on August 7th, 1938 in Athens with a score of 14.66. In Paris on 04.09.1939 he reaches the result of 14.70m. The field and track athlete was the first Greek to overpass the limit of 15m – on July 8th 1939 in London by reaching 15.03m. 17 whole years have to pass by in order for the record to be improved by another athlete. On May 27th 1956 Kostas Sfikas reaches 15,18m in Athens.

The Second World War finds the athlete in a frenzy of preparation for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. So in stead of going to the Olympics, Palamiotis joins the ranks of the Greek army… It is an interesting fact that during the time of the war the athlete does not take part in a single sports event. After the war with a lot of persistence and sports will he starts practicing again and manages to get back in shape. The results are not delayed. In 1943 and 1950 he wins the first place in the championship of Greece and in 1940 he represents the country in the European championship. Greek journalists were calling him “Deer” because of the elasticity of his muscles and the power of his triple jump.

The funeral of the field and track athlete will be on Friday in the Amarusi cemetery in Athens.

Tags: Palamiotis Giannis field and track triple jump sport
SUPPORT US!
GRReporter’s content is brought to you for free 7 days a week by a team of highly professional journalists, translators, photographers, operators, software developers, designers. If you like and follow our work, consider whether you could support us financially with an amount at your choice.
Subscription
You can support us only once as well.
blog comments powered by Disqus