Apostolos Christou
Silver Medal, August 1, 2021, Swimming, 200m Backstroke. Paris 2024.
In the final of the 200 meters backstroke at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Apostolos Christou achieved a historic performance for Greek swimming. After an impressive competition in the semifinals, where he achieved the fourth-best time of 1:56.33, he entered the final aiming for a medal. The European champion delivered Greece its first-ever Olympic medal in swimming (in a pool), simultaneously avenging the “bitter” fourth place in the 100m backstroke, where he missed the bronze medal in the last stroke. Despite not being theoretically specialized in this event, Christou set a national record in the final with a time of 1:54.82, narrowly missing the first place to the Hungarian Hubert Kós, who won with a time of 1:54.26.
They said..
“I can’t believe it, I haven’t realized it yet. I knew I had to go all out for the medal, I started strong, forced the position, in the end, I lost strength, but I had gained a lot from the first 150m and managed to win the medal. I gave it my all. I can’t believe it, I really wanted it. My coach, Panagiotis Velentzas, told me to start strong from the first meters and to stay strong. Now the 200m will become my favorite.”
1 August 2024
