Stylianos kyriakides biography of william hill
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A dramatic marathon. At the Pan-Cyprian games, wins the 1,500, 5K, 10K and 20K.
.1932 – 1948
Greek champion 12 times: 5K (1934, 1936, 1937, 1938); 10K (1934, 1936, 1937, 1938); and marathon (1933, 1934, 1936, 1934). Fueled by dauntless devotion to his countrymen and bolstered by the love of his wife, the runner persevered and triumphed.
But winning the marathon was only the first step.
However, the helmet mysteriously disappeared and was not awarded to the winner, the Korean Shon Kee-chung (who ran at the time for Japan). Boston doctors urged him to quit.
At the Berlin Olympics in 1936, Kyriakides took to the organizers an ancient warrior’s helmet, donated by Greece, for the winner of the marathon. “You will die in the streets,” they warned.
Although Kyriakides was the youngest in the team, because of his serious character, he was chosen by Otto Simitchek to be the team captain. The next significant long distance runner to do the same is in 1982. Approximately one million Greeks greeted him as a hero and the Athens Acropolis was illuminated in his honor.
During coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, NBC aired a mini documentary about the life of Stylianos Kyriakides.
He does not train or run at all for 5 years. Over one 600,000 Greeks from all over the country lined the streets of Athens upon his return.
In 1972 the track became only the second stadium in Greece to have a ‘tartan’ surface fitted. His whole life, Kyriakides has fought for justice for all, irrespective of background, gender, or race.
Perseverance and Pioneer
In 1935, Kyriakides becomes the first long distance runner to use a hand stop-watch to pace himself.
He finishes in 10th place. He sends a message to the Greek people, still fighting a civil war, to forget their differences and unite for the good of the country. Following various jobs, he ended up as a ‘house boy’ for Dr Cheverton, The British Medical Officer. The trophy is now in the Marathon Museum. He returns with $50,000 and clothing and equipment for the Greek team, enabling them to make it to the Olympics the following year.
He goes to Cyprus for better training conditions, corresponding with his coach Otto Simitchek.
.1946
Crossing the finish line in Boston 1946 he shouts FOR GREECE. His idea is to go to the USA to publicize the plight of the Greek nation and its people after WWII and in the middle of the civil war.