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tagged: Classic Marathon Athens, economic crisis, Greece, Kozani, marathon runner, Michalis Parmakis, sponsors, state support, training on an empty stomachMichalis Parmakis: The Loneliness of a Marathon-Runner, a Jobless Greek Champion
Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society, Sports, Uncategorized
Michalis Parmakis: 28 years old. Athlete. Marathon runner. Father of three children. Jobless. Despite his personal successes and others’ promises. The man who made Greece proud when he reached the finish at the 30. Athens Classic Marathon on 11. November 2012.
Video: Michalis Parmakis Marathon Finish
Πρώτος Έλληνας και 9ος στη γενική ο Μιχάλης… από sport24tv
Race time 2 hours, 21 minutes and 56 seconds. First among Greeks, 9th in the general classification.
“The economic crisis has deprived me, as an athlete, of any support, but also all my teammates. There were times when I thought I’d give it up but the support of my coaches and especially my wife gave me strength to go on and get to today’s result. “
Michalis Parmakis, the marathon runner, without sponsors and state support. The Greek champion, who arrived in Athens with a public bus. From 500-km away Kozani, Northern Greece. Just to participate to Athens Marathon.
Duration, resilience, strenght and self-discipline. Permanent struggle against time and fatigue. Against unemployment.
“I’m unemployed one and a half year. I had been promised a job and help but nothing happened. I’m one and a half year unemployed. Tell me who can live with this and make it to a champion.”
The Greek economic crisis left him and his family to come along only with the basics.
“When you have three children to feed, you have to look that they eat first, not you. When we don’t have the means, we limit our own food. I freely admit that I have trained several times hungry, with an empty stomach.”
A punch in my own stomach. Knowing that long distance runners get fueled by nutrients, fat and carbohydrates.
I saw the interview he gave to a local Kozani television channel. Michalis Parmakis said, he needed sponsors. If he was to continue training and to go to places he cannot afford because of the costs. Not to mention the shoes, the clothes…
Parmakis’ quotations from an interview to weekly Proto Thema via star.gr
Michalis Parmakis does not have a website or other fancy thing, where you can express your support.
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