Greek swimmer Apostolos Christou won a silver medal in the men’s finals of 200 m backstroke at the Paris Olympic Games on Thursday, the first medal in swimming for Greece at any modern Olympic Games.
The medal is the second one for Greece after Theodoros Tselidis won bronze medal in judo on Wednesday.
27-year-old Christou was leading in the race from the very start. He completed the first lap in a timing of 55.14, faster even than Aaron Peirsol’s unbreakable world record of 2009. Hungary’s Hubert Kos, a favorite to win the race, reduced the difference and passed Christou, winning gold with a timing of 1:54.26.
The Greek swimmer completed the race with 1:54.82, breaking the record of fellow-Greek Apostolos Siskos (1:55.42) in Belgrade in June, and holding second place ahead of bronze medal winner Roman Mityukov of Switzerland, who clocked in third place at 1:54.85.
Christou had come fourth in the 100 m discipline and he was very disappointed. However, the will to never give up won and he did participated in the 200-meter backstroke.
Video: Christou welcomed by Team Hellas in the Olympic village
Ο αργυρός Ολυμπιονίκης 🥈Απόστολος Χρήστου φτάνει στο Ολυμπιακό Χωριό και η υποδοχή στο Αρχηγείο της ελληνικής ομάδας είναι αποθεωτική.
Μπράβο παλίκαρε…💪💪💪#TeamHellas #Christou #silver #swimming #paris2024 pic.twitter.com/nMZc4Xanzg
— Ηellenic Olympic Committee (@HellenicOlympic) August 1, 2024
Speaking to state-run news agency amna, Christou said “This medal is a redemption for me and I still haven’t realized it. It is a success that I never imagined, although I had set it as a goal. A dream came true.”
